The First Flame
by MachinaExDeo
Summary: Look, he didn't ask for this. He just wanted a date. And while it was fortunate that he saw a girl's breasts, the burning hole in his stomach wasn't really worth it. And now he had to deal with sexy girls trying to kill him, from God knows how many fantasy species. Actually God's probably clueless about that too. Immortality must have some perks... right? (Cover Image isn't mine)
1. Chapter 1: The Spark

The First Flame

 **Highschool Dxd is not my property. I'm not nearly perverted enough to create it. (LIES, LIES, LIES)**

 **Chapter 1: The Spark**

Issei Hyoudou was having a great day.

He had spent the day on a date with one of the most beautiful girls he had ever met, Yuuma Amano. She was pretty, funny, kind and she was totally into him! He had been wracking his brain before the date on ways he could impress her, and more importantly, how he could avoid screwing it up. But it all seemed to have paid off.

He really liked it when she smiled, or how cute she was when acting bashful because of something he said or did. As a result, he supposed he got a bit carried away in complimenting her. But she was just too darn cute! Not to mention her breasts were HUGE! He had to stop himself from staring (not that it helped) more than once during the date. Thankfully she didn't notice, or if she did, she didn't mind (another great thing if it as true!).

 _In your slimy faces, Matsuda, Motohama!_

Unfortunately, the day was about to end, and the date along with it. They had decided to take a walk to a park nearby. It had seemed like a good move on his part. The sun was setting, and it gave a really nice romantic vibe to the situation that he really hoped Yuuma-chan liked.

"We sure had a lot of fun today, didn't we!" Yuuma-chan said cheerfully.

"Yeah, it was a great day!" Issei whole-heartedly agreed as he walked alongside her. His fingers brushed against the palm of her hand, sending his heart into a frenzy. _Alright, Issei, go for it!_

Without saying anything, he took her hand in hers, eliciting a small "oh" from Yuuma-chan, along with a noticeable and oh so adorable blush on her face. _Yes! I did it!_

His inner celebration was stopped when she ran slightly ahead of him, stopping in front of a fountain in the middle of the park, twirling around to face him."Hey, Ise-kun?"

"What is it, Yuuma-chan?"

"Can... can you do me a favor to celebrate our first date?"

 _Wait! What's she going to ask me? Is this the kiss good-bye at the end of the date? Are we finally reaching the climax? I have to prepare myself. Oh gods, does my breath smell?_ Despite his mental panic, he managed to blurt out a response. "What kind of favor?" He really hoped he didn't sound like he was thinking of something stupid, even if he was.

"Could you please die for me?"

Hang on, what?

"Sorry, Yuuma-chan. There must be something wrong with my ears. Could you say that again?" It was a mistake, surely. Yuuma-chan leaned over to him, in a way that made his heart race. He could smell her shampoo, it smelled so good on her. If he looked down, he could see down her blouse.

"Would you die for me?" She said it again, her beautiful face transforming into a cruel smirk.

 _FLAP_

Black wings seemed to sprout from her back, the feathers spiraling lazily through the air. _What is this? Is Yuuma-chan an angel?_ She was like something from a fairy tale, the sun casting an eerie shadow over her face. _It can't be. No angel can be this terrifying._

"If it's any consolation," her voice was cold, not like the soft voice he had enjoyed listening to so much. "I had fun on our date. It was like playing house with a little kid."

A buzzing vibrated through the air as... _something_ appeared in her hands. It sort of looked like a spear, and isn't it glowing? It looked like one of those neon signs, but ten times brighter.

As fast as it came, it disappeared. Issei was confused, until an uncomfortably warm sensation started spreading out of his stomach. He raised his hand off the ground, _Wait, when did I fall down?_ He reached to his stomach, feeling the warm sticky blood coating his fingers.

He could hear Yuuma-chan's voice again, but it was so faint he wasn't sure if he was imagining it or not. "Sorry about this, but you were a threat to us. If you really want to blame someone, don't blame me. Blame the God who paced the Sacred Gear inside you." The sound of flapping wings, and then he heard nothing. Just the calming waters of the fountain.

 _Am I dying? It doesn't hurt as much as I thought it least I saw Yuuma-chan's breasts. They really were great breasts. Are they really the only ones I'm going to see?_

 _Is this it? Am i going to die here? I don't want things to be over, already. I'm still too young! I haven't even touched a girl's breasts before. i have so much I want to do!_

 _I don't want to die!_

The warm feeling in his stomach suddenly intensified, going from uncomfortable to searing pain. It was as if someone had poured fuel on him and lit a match.

 _It hurts! Ithurtsithurtsithurts! I thought the pain was gone! If death is this painful I want it to stop!_

 _ **Looks like it started.**_

 _ **Correct. It has finally begun.**_

 _ **I'm sorry about this, but the first one is always the most painful.**_

 _Wait, who are you?! What's begun, what's happening to me?!_

Any further thought he had was cut off when the burning pain grew once more, no longer limiting itself to his stomach, now radiating throughout his entire body. It was like every bit of hs body was on fire simultaneously.

He opened his mouth to scream, but the sound died in his throat. He raised his hand again, the effort taking all of the strength he has. He expected to see red blood on his fingers again, but instead was greeted by something flickering. _Is that fire? I guess that explains the burning. Maybe Yuuma-chan was an angel. This is the 'smiting' thing that angels do._

 _ **Hmph. Don't be ridiculous. As if a mere fallen angel would be able to smite us.**_

 _Who... are you?_

 _ **You'll have to be more specific, brat.**_

 _ **We are one, but also many.**_

 _ **We are you, you are us.**_

 _ **And it is time for us to wake.**_

The pain ceased, but the fire only grew brighter. It wasn't normal fire. It was white, not a harsh white, but it was pure and untainted. Issei couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort as he saw it. As if dying wouldn't be that bad as long as it was by this brilliant white flame.

His eyes started to close, his eyelids becoming impossibly heavy.

 _ **Sleep now, for you shall rise again!**_

* * *

Issei woke up screaming. He shot up into a sitting position, continuing to shout until his throat was dry. After a while he started feeling stupid and managed to stop screaming. _What the hell?_ He looked down, and was shocked by what he saw. Or rather, what he didn't see.

His injury was gone. Vanished. Disappeared. There wasn't even a scar. It was like he had never even gotten stabbed in the stomach by a spear of light. If it weren't for the gaping hole in the middle of his shirt he would've thought that the stabbing was a hallucination or something. _So much for being a dream._ Not that he held much hope for that explanation being true anyway.

And another thing. _Where was all the blood?_ There wasn't a single drop of blood on his clothes. Come to think of it, there wasn't on any on the ground around him either. _Okay this has gone from weird to freaking trippy._ His clothes were torn as expected, but they were also badly charred, especially along the site of the tear. However, all of his clothes were singed throughout, as if someone had thrown in a fire for a few seconds before putting them back on his body. _That's more than a bit creepy if that actually happened._

First things first though. _What the hell did happen? Last thing I remember is Yuuma-chan with that weird spear and...!_

That's right. He was on a date, with Yuuma Amano. She asked him to... to die. Then she transformed into some, winged... _thing_! Hell, who was he kidding, he was in way over his head here. There was only three things he knew for sure.

1: He finally saw a girl's breasts.(YES!)

2: Yuuma-chan was not normal.

3: He was meant to be dead.

Yet here he was. From what he could tell, he was perfectly healthy, aside from the fact that his back was killing him, and he was _seriously_ hungry. Other than that, he actually felt pretty good.

 _What do I do now? Hospital?_ He snorted. _Yeah, right. What do I say, 'My girlfriend turned into a super hot angel and then stabbed me and set me on fire, but I'm just fine!'... Yeah, let's call that plan B._

Issei felt something in his pants pocket. He fished out his phone and saw the caller ID. _K_ _aa-san? Why is she calling me?_ "Hello?"

"ISSEI, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING STAYING OUT THIS LATE!"

"Wait, what?" Issei quickly checked the time on his phone. 23:13. _Oh shit._ He tried to keep calm and play it cool. "Umm... didn't I tell you that I was going to be out for the day?"

Issei felt relieved when he heard another voice through the phone. "See, honey, I told you he was fine. There was never a need to worry." Thanks a lot, Tou-san! "He's probably having the time of his life with that girl!"

Thanks a lot, Tou-san.

"ISSEI! Come back home this instant, do you hear me?!"

"Of course, Kaa-san." The moment he replied, his mother hung up, a sure sign that she was pissed as hell. She didn't like to yell at him through the phone, preferring to save all of her anger for a face-to-face talk. Eager to not make her any angrier than she already was, he picked himself up, and started to run home.

* * *

Ironically, if Issei actually took his time, he would have remembered one important thing through the fear of his mother's wrath.

"Issei, what happened to you?!"

Namely, he looked like hell. Or to be more specific, his clothes looked like hell chewed them up and spat them back out. _Whoops._ Realizing his blunder, he stuck to the excuse uttered by so many others in the hopes that it would serve him well. "Um... I slipped and fell?"

 **[Snap]**

Issei could visibly see his mother's temper breaking and decided to backtrack. "Uh... I mean... there was... um... a fire, yeah, a fire! There was a fire in the restaurant we were in! My shirt caught fire, but I managed to put it out. And, um... we had to stay there for a while so the ambulance people could make sure we were okay." _Technically there was a fire, so what if the details are a little sketchy?_

As expected, at the first mention of danger, his mother's mood did a complete 180°. "A fire? Are you okay? Are you sure you aren't hurt?"

"Oh yeah, don't worry about me. I'm perfectly fine. Clean bill of health!"

"Well, thank goodness you're okay. Now what about your date. I imagine she was pretty shocked after the incident, right?"

 _Other way around, Kaa-san._ "Actually she seemed okay. She was fine when she went home."

His father heard this and started berating him. "Oi, are you telling me you let a girl you were on a date with walk home alone?! What kind of man are you?"

"It wasn't like that!" _Oh great._ "I offered, but she was pretty insistent. Besides the date didn't really go that well anyway. I doubt she would want to see me anymore." _Pretty sure the feeling's mutual anyway._

"Che, what did you do this time? You didn't do something stupid like declare your undying love for breasts or something did you?"

"That's kinda harsh, don't you think?! Well, whatever. I don't want to talk about it. Is there anything to eat?"

* * *

That night, Issei Hyoudou dreamed of fire.

He was floating in the air, the flickering flames burning around him, above, below, all around him, seemingly burning on nothing. The fire was unlike anything he had ever seen. It was mostly white, but the tips seemed to be tinged with red and... green, maybe? It mesmerized him, the brilliant colors dancing across his eyes.

And they were so bright. Issei was sure they had to be as bright as the Sun. And yet they did not hurt his eyes. Actually, they didn't hurt him, period. They almost seemed welcoming. They danced across his body, curling around him like scarves, embracing him with warmth.

More than that, he could feel something radiating from them, something far greater than warmth. It was _life_ , in the purest sense of the word. It was vibrant, resonating with his very soul.

He reached out with his arms to try and hold one of the flames in his hands, and amazingly, he did it. He would try many times after that to really describe how it felt.

He would fail.

His mother once told him that one of the happiest moments in her life was holding him in her arms when he was a baby. She told him about the joy she felt, holding a little bundle of life in her arms. He wondered if this feeling was in any way the same.

But there was something weird about the fire. It took him a while, but he eventually understood what was so strange. It wasn't just accepting him, it was like they were a _part_ of him. He could feel each individual flame as easily as he could feel his arms and legs. He could interact with them as easily as if he was breathing.

Without warning, all of the little flames flew towards him, but he wasn't afraid. They flew into his body without any difficulty, and he welcomed them.

* * *

The next day, Issei was seriously thinking of throwing a sickie to get out of school. He could sell it to his parents, something about being too tired from yesterday's events. And he had his own reasons, that being concern for his life.

Yuuma-chan... tried to kill him, didn't she? He didn't think he could deny that fact, it was the only thing about her he was certain of. If he went back to school, and she saw him... what then? Would she try again? He shuddered at the thought of it. When she stabbed him and burned him, he felt so much pain and fear. Even if he could somehow survive again, he really didn't want to risk it.

In the end, he decided to go. He would stick to busy roads and go home right afterwards. He wasn't sure if Yuuma-chan would try anything with... well... _normal_ people around, but he needed answers.

Turns out, he didn't need to worry.

"Dude, you look like hell." Motohama remarked with his usual tact and sensitivity.

"That so? 'Cause I feel like crap." Issei said with his forehead against the table.

"What happened to you yesterday? Oh, I get it, you were up all night reviewing the 'material' I got you, eh?" Matsuda said with lecherous grin on his face.

"Wha? No, I did tell you I was with Yuuma-chan, right?"

His two perverted friends blinked, exchanged a glance, then blinked again. Motohama spoke up first. "Um... Issei, who are you talking about?"

 _Are they shitting me right now?_ "Yuuma Amano, remember?! I introduce her to you guys on Friday?! The really cute girl who asked me out? Any of this ringing a bell?" Issei had a flash of insight and rummaged in his pockets for his phone. "Here I took a picture, it's here... somewhere...huh?"

"Hey man, you sure you're feeling alright?" This time Matsuda's voice contained some genuine concern. "Maybe you should see the nurse?"

"No... no, I'll be fine, I think."

Matsuda and Motohama didn't look convinced, but Issei was spared the trouble of explaining further as the bell rang signalling the end of their lunch break.

The rest of the day's classes passed in a blur. Issei was growing nervous now. His friends didn't remember anyone named Yuuma Amano. He dropped the name to other people to see how they would react but everyone just looked at him strangely. He even checked the rosters and the name Yuuma Amano didn't exist anywhere!

 _What kind of shit have I gotten myself into? Was everything really just some fucked up delusion? Maybe my shirt got burned some other way. Yuuma-chan never existed, or something._

He was driving himself crazy with his speculations. He was so engrossed in thought that he almost didn't hear the announcement on the intercom after the bell for the end of classes. **"Hyoudou Issei to the Student Council Room, immediately after school, please. Hyoudou Issei to the Student Council Room after school, please."**

A short clipped message, and yet it somehow filled Issei with dread. His friends ran to his table. "Alright, fess up. What the hell did you do?!" they asked frantically.

"What are you talking about, I didn't do anything!" Inwardly he was panicking. _What happened? Did they finally take the kendo team's recommendations to have me whacked? Or maybe they found the stash of pornos in my shoe locker!_

"Well whatever, man don't screw this up!"

"What do you mean?"

"Weren't you listening? That was the Student Council President on the intercom! She never calls for a student personally, so you must have done something to really tick her off!"

The moment the after school bell rang, the two of them shoved Issei out of the room with warnings and predictions, while sending him looks of pity and lamentation, doing nothing to help his fears. Issei walked to the Council Room with the gait of a man walking to his execution. He stopped in front of the door and hesitated before knocking. After a call of 'Enter' he stepped inside.

And immediately froze.

Sitting behind the desk at the end of the room was Souna Shitori, Kuoh Academy's Student Council President. She was as beautiful as everyone said, and Issei could easily see why she was ranked the number three out of all the girls in the academy. She sat with perfect posture, her violet eyes crtitically scanning him from behind the lenses of her glasses. That ice-cold gaze, showing every bit of her famous intellect was the only thing stopping Issei from haveing his eyes wandering.

Behind her was another girl, Tsubaki Shinra the Vice-President, standing dutifully at her side. She was not as well known as the President, but Issei definitely knew her, as she had doled out some serious punishments in the past due to his... ahem... questionable hobbies. And she did it all with that blank expression on her face.

Issei turned his gaze to the table in the middle of the room and felt whatever composure he had left slip away. Sitting calmly and elegantly sipping tea were the most popular girls in Kuoh. It would not be an exaggeration to say that they were the most beautiful young women Issei had ever encountered, easily surpassing every model he had ever seen.

Akeno Himejima, someone that everyone in Kuoh, male and female saw as a Yamato Nadeshiko, the perfect woman. Her kind purple eyes, her long glossy black hair, her perfect body made it perfectly clear why she deserved that title.

The second girl was Rias Gremory. A foreign student, her long, striking, red hair caught the attention of everyone who glimpsed it, male or female. Her beautiful blue-green eyes twinkled with something akin to amusement as she looked at him. The sight of her gorgeous face gracing him with a smile should have elated him, and brought the biggest smile to his face.

 _Should have._

Issei didn't understand. He was alone in a room with not one, or two, but _four_ extremely beautiful girls. He should have felt like jumping for joy, and screaming from the rooftops.

 _So why the hell was he so scared?_

He was terrified. Not like last night with Yuuma-chan. This kind of fear was more primitive. The fear of prey standing before a predator. It called out from his heart, telling him to run, run far, and never look back. People had always said that these girls' beauty was beyond this world, but Issei felt somewhere deep in his mind that their entire existence was something unearthly.

And dare he say it, _unholy._

"Please take a seat, Hyoudou-san." His body seemed to move on its own, prompted by Shitori's curt voice. He sat down at the table opposite Rias and Akeno and accepted the offered cup of tea with a shaky hand.

"I'm sorry if you feel that we have alarmed you, Issei-kun. Oh, may I call you that?" Rias began.

"S-sure." Issei inwardly cursed himself for stammering. _So not cool, man!_

"Then, you can call me Rias!"

 _Ah! No way! First name basis already?!_ "Thank you, um, Rias-senpai."

"Now, as I was saying, there shouldn't be any reason for you to worry. Souna here just wanted to address some concerns."

"Concerns? About what?"

Souna rose from her place behind the desk. In her hand was a cellphone. "I believe that you are acquainted with this person." She flipped it open and showed him a picture of Yuuma Amano.

Issei was sure his face must have been all the answer they needed. "H-how did you know about he-"

"Her name is Raynare." Souna interrupted him, her voice cutting through his questions, freezing his throat to stop him from talking any further. "As you well know she is a Fallen Angel, a member of the Grigori faction. We believe that her attack was done under orders from a man named Kokabiel. They seem to believe that you are a human in posession of a Sacred Gear and that you pose a threat to them."

She said it all as naturally as she was breathing. Issei looked at the other faces in the room, expecting, and hoping that one of them would smile, giggle, even laugh out loud at the absurdity of what the young woman in front of him just said. But nothing. They were completely serious.

"Um..."

"However, that begs the question: who are you?"

"Kaichou, I think there's been some kind of mistake. Yes I know that girl, but she told me her name was Yuuma Amano. And I have no freakin' clue what a Grigori or a Sacred Gear is-"

"Please drop the act." This time it was Rias who spoke. Her expression didn't change, but Issei could definitely hear the steel in her voice. "I know what happened after Raynare attacked you. I must commend you, to be able to slip in undetected for so long. However, even if you have no ill intentions, I must ask for your identity."

"Wait, how did you-"

"A familiar of mine was watching the situation. Those powers of regeneration you displayed are unmistakeably those of the Phenex clan. Of course, we already asked said clan for your identity but imagine my surprise when they didn't even know of your own existence.

But that only gives rise to more questions. The most prevalent of which has already been asked. Who are you?"

Issei's mind was whirling. _What the fuck did I step into? Kokabiel? Phenex? Fallen Angel? Sacred Gear? What the hell is this?_

"Please, slow down, Rias-senpai. This is just a big misunderstanding. I don't know why you think different but I am human. I am just a normal guy."

Rias sighed in exasperation, as if she was dealing with a particularly difficult child. She gave the briefest of glances to Akeno, but that was all she needed.

A flash of yellow light was the only warning he got. He threw himself to the floor with as much speed as possible, but a bolt of lightning still tore through his right shoulder, shredding the sleeve of his uniform and charring the sofa that was behind him. Issei gulped and started sweating heavily. _If I didn't move, that would have gone right through my head!_

"Impressive reflexes, for a _human_." Rias commented. "Are you atill going to act stupid? I admit, you play it quite well, but I'd rather see the real you right now. Not that you have any other choice." she said, tapping her right shoulder.

Issei reflexively looked at his injury, only to see it disappear in a burst of white flame.

He turned back to his upperclassmen, seeing nothing but cold indifference towards him in their eyes. As if trying to murder him with a lightning bolt was no big deal in their perspective.

Issei finally understood something. _They''re not human. There is no way people with eyes like those are human. I have to get out of here._

Issei scrambled to his feet, nearly leaping to the door. Before his hand even touched the doorknob, though, Tsubaki seemingly materialized in front of the door, a naginata in her hands, the blade held menacingly against his throat. He swallowed, feeling the cold steel press against his skin. He didn't dare move, for fear of cutting himself on the spear.

Souna had resumed talking behind him. "Please, let us do this civilly. We called you here instead of confronting you like a common criminal becuse you have done no harm to anyone during your stay here. I might even go so far as to call you a good person, albeit with perverted tendencies. No-one can fake those so well. We can even forgive the fact that you trespassed onto our territory. But we do need your co-operation."

Issei barely heard it. Instead his mind was coming back to an all-too familiar feeling, one he had met less than 24 hours ago. _I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, oh God, I am so dead!_

His mind was literally racing. He managed to push down the terror just eneough to start thinking of an escape strategy. _What do I do?! What the hell do I do?! I need to get out of here. I need to get away... from_ _ **them**_ _!_

 _ **The window!**_ His mind seemed to scream at him, though for some reason, it didn't feel like his thoughts. _**Jump out the window!**_

 _That's crazy, we're on the third floor! I'll die!_

 _ **You can take it! Or would you rather stay here with these ladies?!**_

 _Actually, I woul- waitwaitwait, that's not the point! Fine then, the window!_ His decision made, Issei punched the away the spear, ignoring the brief pain in his neck from where it lightly nicked him. He jumped just as _something_ whipped right underneath him where his knees used to be. _Whoa, how the hell did I do that?_

He had no time to think about it because his targeted escape route was approaching very fast. Putting his arms in front of his face, he pushed himself through the window.

It hurt. It hurt a lot more than movies or TV shows suggested. He heard somewhere that if you had to jump through a window, throw something at it first, but he never really thought of why until now. The first thing he felt was the impact. He thought his arms would break before the laminated glass would.

The second thing he felt was the cuts. Holy shit, were there a lot of cuts. Movies make it so the glass shatters into itty bitty pieces, but in reality? The shards of glass are huge, and cut so deep into his skin he was surprised his arms weren't severed completely. Again, it hurt. Not as much as getting stabbed in the stomach and being set on fire, but it was up there.

Through the pain, he barely felt the third thing, which was the fall. Instead it skipped right to number four: the landing. Honestly, it didn't feel as bad as he thought a fall from a thrid storey window would be, but then again he was lucky enough tho land in a couple of bushes. That and he was probably high on adrenaline.

 _That isn't going to last long._ Groaning, he hauled himself up and ran as fast as his legs could carry him.

* * *

Sona and Rias watched the hastily retreating figure through the shattered remains of the window, noting the decreasing trail of white flames he left behind him.

"Think it worked?" Rias asked.

"Yes, though your acting skills could use a little work."

"Gimme a break. I was ad-libbing the entire thing."

"Whatever the case, with any luck he will lead us straight to his master."

"Do you really think he has one? There is still a distinct possibility that he is an Extra Devil. He could even be telling the truth about being human for all you know. Some rare Sacred Gear. Maybe a magician, even."

"If he _is_ an Extra, all the more reason to find out what it is he's up to. Extra Devils almost never come out of their own little worlds. There must be something significant for them to tread onto another Devil's territory for so long, much less the sisters of Maou." Rias had to concede that point. Extra Devils were notoriously reclusive, some going for decades, even centuries without contacting the outside world.

Sona continued to speak her deductions. "No Sacred Gear in existence has abilities like that. I admit, there is a chance it is a rare Sub-Species, but I doubt it. As for being a magician... it's possible." Sona admitted. "Though I am fairly sure he is not human. Either way, his panic was genuine, so we can expect him to run to whoever he answers to. Once that happens..."

"We'll take care of all of them in one fell swoop, eh? Quite devious of you, Sona." Rias teased.

"Do try not to make me sound like an evil mastermind, Rias." Sona sighed. "If anything, I truly hope that this will not come to violence and their intention is not harmful, to us or anyone else."

"You have to admit, to hide almost all traces of the supernatural from us, for two years? It is impressive. He must have considerable control over his power."

"Almost, Rias?"

"I _was_ planning to make him part of my peerage. In fact I was hoping he would summon me during that disaster of a date."

"You were going to _let_ him be stabbed? Who's the devious one now?"

"I did make sure he had a summoning circle and I had my familiar watching over him. I wasn't going to let him die, Sona. But then he pulled that regeneration." Rias sighed. "Such a shame. I thought he would have been an excellent addition."

* * *

Issei managed to run well away from the school building. For some reason they hadn't even tried to follow him. Oh well, he certainly wasn't complaining. Just to be safe, though, he decided not to go straight home. They probably knew where he lived, so chances are that's where they would look for him first.

He stopped running in a small abandoned park. He leaned back against a tree, completely out of breath. He slid down the tree, trying to calm his furiously beating heart. In the past two days he had faced more stress than the rest of his years combined. He was surprised he wasn;t a nervous wreck at this point, but he still wouldn't rule it out for the future.

He looked down to his arms and legs. As he expected. _Not even a scratch, huh?_ Oh, he had felt it. The pain had been real, so real that whatever lingering beliefs he had about this being a dream were complitely swept away. And yet, his body was completely unmarred.

 _What is this? What am_ _ **I**_ _?_ He had argued to them that he was 100% human, but was it even true? No human can walk away from a three storey fall, or heal from injuries in a burst of white flame. His mind flashed back to the encounter. _Didn't she say something about a Phenex? Like the legendary bird or something?_

 _What do I do now?_ He felt that it was a reasonable question. He probably shouldn't have gone back to school, but then again, what's to say that they wouldn't have gone directly to his house. _No, I can't let Okaa-san or Otou-san in on this, whatever the hell this is._

But that didn't really give him a lot o other options. He couldn't go to Matsuda or Motohama for the exact same reason. And it wasn't as if he had enough money to stay anywhere else. it was getting dark, and he really didn't want to sleep outside. _So what's left?_

"So you're the one that Raynare couldn't kill, huh?"

The sudden voice had him jumping to his feet, frantically turning his head to find the source.

"How disappointing. I was expecting something that would be able to at least put up a fight. But then again, I shouldn't have expected much from Raynare."

Terrible realization dawned on him, as pitch black feathers lazily floated down all around him. He craned his neck upwards, following the feathers, And there he was.

He was a middle-aged man wearing a long pale violet trench coat over a white dress shirt and black pants. With the black glowes on his hands and the fedora casting an eerie shadow over his eyes, he made quite the menacing figure even if you forgot the set of raven black wings growing out of his back.

Did he forget to mention those?

They were fully extended, stretching twice as long as the man was tall. They weren't flapping at all. In fact they were so still, Issei had to wonder whether it was the cause of the man's flight.

 _Wait. Raynare? Where have I..._

 _[...name is Raynare...]_

 _[...Fallen Angel... Grigori...]_

 _[...you pose a threat...]_

"Hmph!" The winged man smirked upon seeing the look of horror that grew on Issei's face. "Looks like you realize who I am. Very well, I will grant you the honor of knowing my name before I kill you. Be grateful, filthy Devil scum"

Those bark blue eyes locked on to him, bloodlust radiating from them as a spear of light, a paler color than his eyes formed in his hand. "I am Dohnaseek. Stand up, Devil, or suffer the humiliation of dying on your knees."

* * *

 **Well, that should be enough for a first chapter.**

 **I know I shouldn't do this. I already have a story that I'm struggling with (go check it out) without adding another one. But I recently rewatched Nisemonogatari and this idea just would not leave me alone, and I had to get it down.**

 **So, any of you with half a brain (or have watched Nisemonogatari), you can probably tell what Issei is, and can probably make a few more deductions from the chapter.**

 **That's the next thing. My other fic will take priority over this one. Mostly because, obviously this one isn't nearly as well-planned. I'll probably stick to canon for a while, but I have several ideas which demand for the plot to diverge. Like I said, work in progress.**


	2. Chapter 2: From a Flicker to a Flame

The First Flame

 **ValiantPanther: I apologize if I misled you, or anyone else. The only thing I got from _Nisemonogatari_ was the style of immortality and resurrection. Oddities won't be incorporated into this story. And most of Issei's status will be explained in this chapter.**

 **Malhavoc Shadowlord: I don't play video games, so I have no friggin' clue what _Dark Souls_ style resurrection is, but I'll do my best not to make Issei too overpowered. He'll be strong, but he won't just curb- stomp enemies left and right.**

 **I don't own the boobalicious goodness of Highschool DxD**

 **Chapter 2: From a Flicker to a Flame**

Issei didn't even waste a thought on it. He immediately started running like hell. But he barely sprinted twenty meters before Dohnaseek had flown right in front of him. Issei saw his smirk and correctly predicted the incoming threat. The pale-blue spear in his hands was thrust towards his heart at speeds that made it resemble a lightning bolt.

He moved out of the way, but the spear still tore through the side of his torso, making him yelp in pain. It didn't end there, though as Dohnaseek had grabbed his neck before he could react and slammed him into the ground. The Fallen Angel planted a knee onto his chest and stared at him with curious, but still threatening eyes.

"What are you?" he asked him. "Your powers suggest that you are a Phenex, but if that was the case you would not be able to heal from a holy weapon. That and you are far too weak, even for a lowly Devil. So could it be you are still human?"

 _Kinda curious about that myself._

 _ **Focus on the flame.**_

 _The hell?! Who's there?_

Dohnaseek chuckled and raised his spear. "I suppose it doesn't really matter at this point. A little more experience and perhaps you could have been a formidable opponent. Oh, well. However tenacious you healing may be, I assure you, I am just as stubborn. I'm sure that you will die, even if I have to kill you a hundred times over." The spear descended, and Issei's chest was pierced for the second time in as many days.

He had braced himself, but the pain still threatened to break his mind. As expected, white fire instantly burst from his wound. However, the pain continued to persist.

"Hmph. As I thought. You can't heal if there's still a spear obstructing your injury. Good to know."

 _ **Focus on the flame.**_

 _I can't! It hurts, it hurts... I can't!_ "AAAAAAAAGGHHHH!" He finally let out a scream when Dohnaseek drove the spear in deeper, right through his body, twisting it as he did so.

The voice returned, and Issei could recognize it as being female. _**This pain is nothing. It might as well be an illusion to us. Our fire shall never be extinguished. Our light is the purest of all. It is your greatest defense, and your deadliest weapon.**_

 _This isn't an illusion. I can't take this. I'm only human._

 _ **Yes, you are. But that is more than enough.**_

The flame suddenly intensified, blinding Dohnaseek. He cried out, putting an arm over his eyes, more in surprise than in pain. He took the decision to be cautious and take to the sky. That turned out to be a wise decision, judging by the searing heat he suddenly felt below him. His eyes adjusted a second later, and he squinted through the light to look for his target. Once again he was taken by surprise, but this time it was more pronounced on his face, and for good reason.

Issei raised his arms to the spear that had penetrated his stomach. The fire from his wounds had spread to his arms, coating them like gloves. Acting purely on instinct, he grasped the spear. Dohnaseek watched, bemused, thinking that the idea that he would be able to remove it was ludicrous. But what he say was even more amazing.

Issei touched the spear, and _it burst into flames._

 _That isn't possible. That is simply impossible._ His spear was made of holy light. It had no matter, only becoming solid by his will alone. It was made of his own Angelic energy. A strong enough flame could dispel it, yes, but not _burn_ it. Yet the proof was right in front of his eyes. The spear was visibly burning, white fire eating into it, stealing its holy light for fuel. Within a minute, the spear had been reduced to nothing, and without the obstruction, Issei's wound healed near instantly.

Issei stood, still covered in fire, even though his injury was already gone. Unlike last time, the fires left his clothes unburnt. The flames burning on his skin merely passed through the material like ghosts.

 _What the hell is this?_ Not for the first time today Issei asked himself. He got the feeling that it wouldn't be the last time either.

 _ **You're very fond of asking that, aren't you, boy?**_

 _ **There is no need for mocking, he is merely disoriented. May I remind you that weren't much better.**_

 _ **Would it be possible to discuss this after we dispose of the Fallen?**_

 _Whatever the hell's in my head, what are you doing in there? Wait, did you say dispose?!_

 _ **Do not be so shocked. We cannot flee from this adversary, so obviously we must take up arms.**_

 _I don't know the first thing about fighting!_

 _ **Yes, you do. Because we do. Nothing fancy though, you're not ready for that yet.**_

Before Issei could ask what that even meant, he was forced to halt his thoughts. Dohnaseek had finally become impatient. He swooped down, spears of light appearing in both of his hands this time, his face growing from irritation to anger. The distance between them was less than a hundred meters, and at his speed, the Fallen Angel would meet him in less than a second.

But to Issei, he was just a straight line _._

It was as if his mind had been amplified. He could see the path Dohnaseek would take through the air. His brain supplied him with ways to evade him, tactics to counterattack, weaknesses to exploit, abilities available to him. An archive of combat scenarios poured into his head. He knew immediately what to do.

He dove to the left, preventing Dohnaseek from impaling him one again. However, the Fallen Angel extended his right arm, and so the spear in his hand slashed deeply into his side. But Issei barely noticed it, as the white flame healed it even as the spear cut through his flesh.

Dohnaseek growled at having missed his target, and then flew upwards and started circling around him. Realizing that close quarters combat would get him nowhere, he summoned more spears in mid-air, smaller, but more numerous to surround Issei. With a wave of his hand, the spears shot towards Issei like bullets of light.

Issei's mind tracked their course. They were just straight lines aimed at the same spot. A normal human with only slightly higher than average reflexes could have dodged it. But a second after his evasion, he learned that Dohnaseek's attack was twofold.

Whem he raised his head from his crouched position, Dohnaseek was practically right on top of him, his face a nightmarish mask of rage, his raven wings flared, his gloved hands gripping twin spears of blue light, which were aimed straight towards his chest.

Issei was way too slow to dodge. Even if he knew what Dohnaseek was going to do, it didn't mean a damn thing if his legs couldn't get him out of the way. But he had recently learned one very important thing.

Dohnaseek would never be able to kill him.

But was the converse true as well?

The furious Fallen Angel was just two steaks of light speeding towards him. Issei didn't budge from his spot. Instead he raised his hands. Dohnaseek's spears slammed into his shoulders, pushing him back several meters, but he didn't fall. His enemy was definitely surprised, but Issei didn't give him anytime to react.

The flames wrapped around him spread to Dohnaseek, and they did so with a frightening vigor. The fire that brought him nothing but health and protection now brought nothing but pain to Dohnaseek. Issei didn't stop with his arms though. He reached around his body and grabbed one of his black wings.

Dohnaseek yelled out, and kicked Issei in the chest, leaving the two spears stuck in his body. He tried to escape the flames into the sky, but his left wing was still wreathed in white fire. He barely got ten feet into the air before he crashed back down. Several magic circles appeared on his body as he attempted to extinguish the flame. but once again the impossible happened, as he saw the flames tear through the circles with ease.

Dohnaseek risked a look to that... that _child_ who was the cause of this agony and humiliation. The little shit didn't even bother to look at him. He was just staring at his blazing arms like a caveman. Like he was just a minor annoyance.

He gritted his teeth. Revenge would have to wait. He needed to find a way to stop the flames and heal himself. Hauling himself to his feet, swallowing his already damaged pride, he ran. He ran like a cowardly dog. Never before had he felt such shame and embarrassment.

 _I swear, I will pay back this humiliation a hundred fold, human!_

* * *

Issei barely noticed the fleeing Fallen Angel. He fell on his back, breathing deeply. He barely moved during that fight, if one could even call that brief encounter a fight. But those fifteen seconds of combat had exhausted his mind, leaving him feeling like he just sat a full course of mid-term exams in one hour.

He staggered over to a bench on the side of the park, sweating from anxiety rather than physical exertion.

 _ **Wow, are you a lightweight or what?**_

 _Shut up. You, and whoever else is in my head still need to give me an explanation._

 _ **Don't act so high and mighty just because you drove off that low-level Fallen Angel. Without us, he would have just kept stabbing you until you looked like a radioactive pincushion.**_

 _Again, who is 'us'?!_ He couldn't take it anymore. The voices (God, he felt like a lunatic referring to them like that) were frustrating him, dancing around the subject that should clearly be their first priority.

 _ **You should exercise patience and restraint, young one. As for who we are, we have answered already that. However, I suppose we can take this opportunity to elaborate.**_

Then Issei's vision turned black.

A split second later, he opened his eyes, and found himself in the endless world of fire.

Unlike in his dream, the white will o' wisps floated peacefully, instead of swirling like a tempest around him.

"Where am I?"

One flame floated in front of him, and then began pulsing with light. **"You don't recognize it, boy? This is your soul."**

"My... my soul?" His confusion was understandable. The concept of a 'soul' was an abstract one. He never knew it could have shape or substance, much less a location. "Then, what are you? What-"

 **"'What am I?' Is that what you were going to ask?"**

More flames moved closer to him, until a dozen of them were suspended in front of him. A calm and soothing female voice spoke to him this time, and right before his eyes, it expanded. The flame grew until it was his height and it morphed into the image of a beautiful woman. She seemed to be in her early thirties, with long chest nut brown hair and warm brown eyes and most importantly, she was completely naked just like him. Normally Issei would be rocketing back from a nosebleed right now, but the lust just wasn't there. He didn't feel anything when he gazed at her flawless figure.

 **"We mean you no harm, nor did we mean to alarm you, I assure you. We brought you here, simply because this would be the simplest way to explain things. No danger will befall you while you're here."**

"So, what am I?"

 **"Have you ever heard of the legend of the mythical Phoenix?"**

"Yeah. It's an immortal bird. Whenever it dies, it catches fire. Then it's reborn from its own ashes." Something clicked in Issei's mind. "Wait, those girls back at school called me that. Is that what I am? A Phoenix?!"

 **"Yes, but that name was given long after we were born."** A harsh and deep voice was quick to correct him. He turned to the side and another flame had transformed into another man. The man's face was hard, full of battle-scars. He had a well-built body which was just as scarred, obviously from combat. **"It's just a good place to start our explanation. And for the record, those young women called you a** _ **Phenex,**_ **not** _ **Phoenix.**_ **A slight distinction, but an important one. We'll get to that later."**

The matronly voice continued. **"You see, Issei, was it? Well, Issei, I am sure you realize by now that you are, effectively immortal. But only in the sense that you cannot be killed. Any injury will be healed instantly, any illness will vanish. But your body will still age naturally, live out its natural life span, and you will eventually die of old age. Then the cycle shall begin again."**

"That's... that's amazing." Even though he had experienced the phenomenon several times, having such an incredible ability confirmed still took his breath away.

 **"It is isn't it?"** Issei could detect a hint of smugness in the voice.

"Wait, there's something wrong with that. I've been sick, and injured loads of times. But I didn't get any special healing power because of it."

He had a feeling that they were expecting him to ask that question. **"I believe a human writer once said that the first condition of immortality is death. With that in mind, what do you think first triggered your awakening?"**

Issei thought hard, before coming to a shocking conclusion. "Yuuma-chan killed me..."

 **"I already said this, but the first time is always the hardest. Only the first instance of death shall awaken us."**

"... I'm sorry, but..."

 **"'Who are we, yes?' We've already told you that once you die, the cycle begins again. So, I give you the question instead. Who are we?"**

 **"I'll give you a hint."** The man said. **"She is the first, and I am the last."**

Issei didn't even have to think about it to know the answer. "You're... my past lives." It made sense. Why else would they be in his head? It also explained why he didn't want to ogle the beautiful woman, or flee at the sight of the naked man beside him. It was like looking at a reflection, no lust or disgust would be present.

The scarred man grunted in approval. **"Looks like you're not as stupid as you look, boy. To be more specific, we are the past lives of those who awakened our powers."**

The man chuckled at Issei's confusion. **"Don't look so shocked boy. The majority of people live peaceful lives without accidents or serious illness. If every lifetime we lived had awakened our powers this place would be more crowded believe me."**

The woman decided to take over. **"I believe that we have gotten sidetracked. Allow me to show you the beginning of our long history."** The woman placed her hand on his cheek, and the world around them shifted.

The black void transformed into a lush, green plain, above which, Issei and his companions were hovering. Born and raised in the city, it was an alien world to Issei. A gentle breeze made the long grass sway lazily. Various animals roved around, animals that he had only seen in zoos and documentaries, grazing peacefully. Birds of all colors flew through the blue sky.

"Whoa... Where are we?"

 **"Earth, several hundred thousand years ago."**

"Wait, what?!"

 **"Hush, boy. You're about to see one of the most important moments in human history."**

As if on cue, a bright magnificent light shone from the sky, a thousand times more dazzling than the sun. Issei was reminded of the light spears used by Dohnaseek, but free any of the taint he felt from him. The light had an otherwordly presence, something bigger than and beyond humanity.

Two figures suddenly appeared in the sky, bathed in the ethereal light. A man and a woman, naked save for a few fig leaves. They descended slowly, the light lowering them into the grass. Once they touched down, they immediately dropped to their knees and reached out to the sky, but the light was already fading. The couple were speaking a language that Issei had never heard before, but he could tell the reason for their sadness. They were begging for forgiveness.

 **"Maybe you can hazard a guess as to their identities? Even if you're not Christian, you should know their names."** The woman whispered gravely.

"Adam and Eve." Issei could hardly believe his own eyes.

 **"The first man and woman."** She confirmed. **"This is the day humanity gained the rights and responsibilities of free will. The day God cast out his children from the Garden of Eden. The day humanity committed its first sin."**

"You were there for this?!"

 **"No, this is merely a projection created with memories I obtained from our parents."**

"Our parents? You mean-"

 **"I'm sorry, I misspoke. I didn't mean to offend you. When I said 'our parents', I didn't mean the ones who raised you. I meant to say, the ones who created us. As you might expect, a being like us was not conceived by... conventional methods."**

"What, were we adopted?"

 **"Ugh, just explain it to him, will ya?"**

 **"You see, Issei, despite what many religions and myths claim, great deities were not the creators of fire, humans were. Several legends depict gods of fire; Loki, Vulcan, Agni, but these gods came into existence as a result of human belief. In other words, fire doesn't exist because of them, they exist because of fire. The same could be said for all creatures who use a variant of fire, the youkai, salamanders, even dragons. These creatures were offspring of deities, fire being a byproduct.**

 **Before humans, no being needed fire. Their existence was celestial, they need no warmth nor light, and even if they did, they can create it on a whim. But humans have no such luxury."**

The scene shifted again, and with it the weather. A storm was blowing, lightning flashing overhead, rain pelting the grass below until it was nearly flat. Issei saw a small outcropping of rocks forming a small cave. In it were Adam and Eve, huddling together for warmth.

 **"It was hard for them at first. It's to be expected. In the Garden, they wanted for nothing. God gave them safety, nourishment, warmth. But now they are on their own, in a world they've barely seen. They were as lost as newborns. And they were so guilty. Their hearts were heavy with the sin they comitted, falling to the serpent Samael's deception, defying their own father.**

 **But above all, they wanted to live. They so desperately wished to continue their lives, to not end the gift their father gave them. They wanted to survive."**

A spark, and a flame burst into life in the rocky cave. Even from this distance, Issei could see it flickering clearly. It was so small and fragile, and looked like it would die out at any moment. But it was enough for the two people in the cave.

 **"And so they created us."**

"That... that doesn't make any sense. How is that little fire you? Or... us? I mean, it'll go out eventually, there's nothing magic about it!"

 **"The physical flame isn't the important part. It is the** _ **concept**_ **of fire that was born that day."**

"The... concept?" No sooner had he said those words when the landscape changed again, not once, but hundreds of times. Time accelerated greatly, like years were passing by in mere seconds. Issei saw villages, towns, cities, kingdoms. He saw entire civilizations rise and fall. Pioneers discovered new and uncharted territories. He saw the armies of the world wage endless wars. Castles of stone transformed into skyscrapers of steel and glass. The growth of humanity itself was progressing before his eyes.

 **"Do you see this, Issei? Humanity has evolved to unimaginable levels. And it has faltered and suffered countless times, whether due to nature or by its own doing. However, despite those setbacks, humanity has not only survived, but thrived, in this hostile world. And it was because of fire.**

 **"It has been used as a weapon, for warmth, to cook food, to produce light. Throughout the ages, the flame, no matter what form it is in, a cooking fire to the Sun, has represented not just destruction, but life and light and hope and ambition. "**

 **"In that respect, it's a perfect symbol for humanity!"** The scarred man chortled.

 **"Yes. That is what we are, Issei. Just as gods are born because of their followers, our sentience was a result of humanity's selfish and fervent desire to live. At first, it may have been only Adam and Eve, but soon thousands, millions and today billions of humans live on this earth. And all of believe in the concept of fire."**

They were now looking down at a massive city, one that Issei instantly recognized as the city of Tokyo. "All of this, just from that one little fire?"

 **"Human tenacity is a wonderful thing, isn't it?"**

"This is... this is just unbelievable. I mean, I think I believe it, I... really have no idea what else to believe in. I really don't think anyone is crazy enough to think up of a lie like this. I understand how, we became alive. But, I still don't get how a little flame got a real body?"

 **"That part's actually easier to explain."** The scarred man took over. **"You see, boy, when someone dies, their soul is... 'cleansed' for lack of a better term."**

"Cleansed? Are you talking about, purging sins or something?"

 **"In a way. The person themselves, their personalities and memories, what makes them who they are, those are sent on to Heaven, or the Underworld, depending on what the higher-ups decide. But the other part of the soul is pure energy. It is sent back into the cycle of reincarnation. The energy is then given to a newborn, ready to live again. That is the basics of the cycle of reincarnation as designed by God.**

 **"Our existence ...slipped into that system. After the concept of fire, in other words,** _ **us,**_ **gained a lower form of sentience, we were conscious enough to sneak into the cycle and latch onto a living being. Of course, two souls can't inhabit a body safely, so a newborn without a soul was the only valid option. At first, there were really no effects. It took hundreds, maybe thousands of years before we were strong enough to manifest even a fraction of the abilities we have today."**

"And that just keeps happening? We just jump to another person again and again after the body dies?"

 **"I can see your worry, but let me assure you Issei, you are very much alive and you are still your own person."** Once again the white balls of fire appeared around them. One by one, all of them morphed into an image of a different person, until he was surrounded by well over a hundred people, of different ages and ethnicities. **"You have retained your individuality, just like everyone here. The difference beteen us and the system is that instead of being a blank slate, your life is a new and unique chapter in an age old saga."**

Issei looked all around him. The people should have been complete strangers. He didn't know their names, their backgrounds, but he now knew it would not be false to say he had known them all his life. He couldn't really describe it. He didn't _need_ to describe it. It felt _right._ He truly _belonged_ with them.

He turned back to the first two that he met. "What do I call you two?"

The scarred man smiled, not like his previous smirks or sarcastic grins, but a genuine smile. **"It seems it is tradition to greet the latest life to join us with the very first and the very last. I was your previous life, and you can call me Ulrich."**

 **"Whereas I was the very first one to be awakened, the first to truly embody the flame of immortality. The eldest of all the spirits here. My name is Seraphina."**

* * *

 **This is kind of a cool-down chapter than anything else, (ironically). Sorry if the altercation between Issei and Dohnaseek was very short, but keep in mind, that except for the immortality, physically, Issei is still a normal human without any previous training. There's not a lot he can do, and I don't like the idea of suddenly boosting him for no plausible reason.**

 **So here's the explanation of Issei's origins. I thought it made sense. Gods are born and get power from their followers. But what if it wasn't a specific identity, but just a concept? If everyone in the world believes in that concept, that should definitely have given power to something.**

 **Any questions, comments, criticisms are all welcome!**


	3. Chapter 3: Blowing Smoke

The First Flame

 **Hehe... how long has it been? ...Okay, I'm sorry, but I'm back in school, it's my final year, so unfortunately my fanfics have to be put on a backburner. Look on the bright side! Could have been two months!**

 **In other news, over a 100 freaking followers already and nearly a hundred favorites! What the hell?! Thank you all from the bottom of my corrupted heart!**

 **Highschool DxD is not my property.**

 **Chapter 3: Blowing Smoke**

 **Are you sure you are alright? We gave you a great deal of information all at once. Perhaps you should rest for a while to get your bearings.** Seraphina asked concernedly.

Issei had returned to the real world after Seraphina and Ulrich had explained his origins to him. He had simply opened his eyes and found himself back in the park, still standing, without a second of real time passing as far as he could tell. _That's pretty useful._ The sun had already set and he was alone in the park. He found a bench and collapsed in it before beginning his discussion with his seniors.

 _I'm okay. Actually, I'm freaking out. But Ulrich-senpai's right. We have to deal with this problem first. I can have a major freakout afterwards. But first, how are we gonna deal with this? What are we dealing with anyway?_

 **They are Fallen Angels.** came Seraphina's easy answer. **Former servants of the Biblical God, before falling to the temptation of sin. Now their wings have been tainted, as have their souls. I confess I'm a bit behind the times. There hasn't been many of our recent incarnations with ties to the supernatural, so we can't ask them for current events.**

Issei gulped in nervousness. _The Biblical God, huh? Sure, why the hell not? Do you know anything about this kind of stuff, Ulrich-senpai?_

 **Nah, I had enough trouble in my life without getting myself mixed up with Angels and Devils. And hey, why are you adding that to my name? I'm not even Japanese!**

 _I thought it's appropriate since you were all in my position before. You're like my upperclassmen, except... you're all the same person, and you're all me... Aaah! This is confusing!_

 **Word of advice, kid. Don't spend too much time thinking of the spiritual crap, it'll make your head spin. Tell the truth,** _ **I**_ **don't even understand perfectly myself. And take off the damn honorific, already.**

 **Back on topic, I know nothing about Fallen Angels, but I do know enough about combat situations. Now, I'm pretty sure you've already guessed this, but that bird-brain will come back, with reinforcements, so we gotta think of a strategy.**

 _What strategy? Sure, we're unkillable, but these are Fallen Angels, and like you said, there's probably more of them. You're not expecting that trick we pulled on Dohnaseek to work again and again, are you?_

 **Of course not. But there are other things to consider. First we need to find out where they are. One of the first things to think of in a battle is the battlefield. So where is the most likely place for a group of Fallen Angels to be?**

 _I assume that's a rhetorical question, 'cause I don't have a damn clue!_

 **I might have an idea.** Seraphina interjected. **There are Devils residing in this town, correct? And judging by their hostile attitudes, they have marked this town as their territory.**

 **Where are you going with this, Sera?**

 **Devils, in general, stay away from places of worship. With that in mind, Issei? Is there a place in Kuoh where people of the Christian faith convene? It matters not the denomination.**

 _Christian... Wait, there's an old Catholic church on top of the hill on the west side of town. But it's been abandoned for years since there's not really a lot of Catholics in Kuoh..._

 **And where is Kuoh Academy located?**

 _...On the other side of town...!_

 **That is most likely their hideout. It's far enough from the school to avoid detection. In fact, that church and the school were probably built to be as far away from each other as possible.**

 **Do these Devils and Fallen Angels hate each other that much?** Ulrich asked, mirroring Issei's own thoughts.

 **Oh yes.** Seraphina confirmed. **I believe they are currently under a pact of non-aggression, but in no way are they on friendly terms. A Fallen Angel entering a Devil's territory unannounced could be seen as an attack and would be grounds for retaliation.**

 **We can definitely use that to our advantage.** said Ulrich confidently.

 _How do you mean?_

 **Well, It's pretty clear that the Devils are after your ass, but that's only because they think you're an intruder. The Fallen want to kill you because they think you're a threat. You have two enemies, both of whom are completely out of your league, who just so happen to hate each other. Do you need me to spell it out, boy?**

 _You want me turn them against each other?_

 **Correct.**

 _How?!_

 **Beats me.**

 _Exactly how much 'combat experience' do you have!?_

 **I was a soldier, not a diplomat, boy.**

 **Perhaps I can somehow be of use?**

The new voice took Issei completely by surprise and he nearly yelled out loud. _Okay, who the hell just tried to give me a heart attack?!_

 **Well, technically...**

 _Yeah, yeah, it wouldn't matter if I got a heart attack, now who are you?_

 **Do not be alarmed. I am simply one of the many lives in your head.**

 **Oh, God, not you again.** Ulrich groaned exaggeratedly.

 **Hello again, Nick.** Seraphina greeted the new voice.

Once Issei (somewhat) got over the fact that the voices in his head were having a conversation, he finally had the wits to reply. _So, uh... you're... Nick?_ Definitely a Western name.

 **Well, obviously that is not my full name, Seraphina just likes to keep up with the current vernacular. But, yes, I am. And if you wish, you may call me that as well.**

 _Out of curiosity, do you guys all just listen in on everything I say and do?_

 **God no,** was Nick's instant reply. **I would be bored to tears** **I was just curious about our current predicament and thought that I could help. As for the rest of us, we're all here, but out of consideration for you we try not to bombard you with our thoughts and memories.**

 _I can see your memories?_

 **And we can see yours.** Seraphina confirmed. **The memories are already there for you to use, such as when you used various memories in your brief battle against Dohnaseek, so you don't have to worry about any kind of mental recoil. You just have to concentrate to bring them forward in your mind.**

 **On that note,** Ulrich interrupted, his voice now annoyed. **For God's sake boy, have you read or watched anything that isn't pornography?!**

 **He's a healthy young male, it's perfectly normal.** Seraphina tried to defend him, but Issei didn't have to see her face to know that the attempt was half-hearted at best.

 **There was nothing normal about that video with the girl dressed as a-**

 _Aah! AAAH! Stop it! Shut up! There's nothing wrong with being a pervert! Stop discussing this! I beg you!_

 **Not that I don't find this amusing, but I believe we're on a timeline.** Nick interjected, his voice clearly trying to restrain laughter.

 _Right, right. So, how can you help, Nick-san?_

 **It seems to me that violence alone will not free you from this situation. And I hear that you're in need of someone with skills in manipulation and coercion.**

 _You're good with this kind of thing?_

 **One of the best.** Oddly enough, Issei didn't hear any smugness in that statement. Just simple acknowledgement. Whether that was due to arrogance or his actual level he couldn't tell.

 _So what's our play? How are we doing this?_

 **First, let me be sure. The Devils in this town are after you because they believe you to be something supernatural intruding onto their territory. And the Fallen Angels wish to kill you because they believe you are a human with this 'Sacred Gear', was it? And that you pose a threat to them. Is that correct?**

 _Well, yeah. That's what the Devils said, anyway._

 **Well then, my proposed plan of action is this.** Nick paused, and already Issei knew he wasn't going to like whatever he would say next. **I suggest that you ally yourself with the Devils.**

 _What?!_

 **Please hear me out. As it stands, despite the inherent deceitful nature of both parties in question, the Devils are the ones who do not wish you dead. Not immediately, anyways. Despite their apparent hair-triggers, I get the feeling they would opt for diplomacy rather than violence.**

 _You're crazy. I'm not putting my life at risk because you have a 'feeling'!_

 **I'm not asking you to. The Devils don't know what you are or what you are capable of. Let us make use of that. They think you are just a weakling with special abilities. And to be honest, at the moment they are not too far off.**

 **Hey,** Ulrich interrupted. **I think we could do pretty well against them!**

 **One of them, perhaps. But we have no idea how many of them there are. And, yes, we can't be killed, but we can feel pain, and I don't think that is something you wish to experience. Or am I wrong to assume that, Issei?**

 _You're not wrong, but... I don't think I would be able to keep it together in front of them._ He felt somewhat ashamed to admit it, but he was terrified at the prospect of facing either the Devils or the Fallen Angels. He remembered their first meeting, and how he could not even get through a sentence without stammering. He didn't think he could make it through a whole confrontation with those people.

Seraphina's soothing voice called out to him. **Issei, whatever you do next is entirely up to you and we will all support you. We wouldn't dare try to control you, merely guide you. This is your life after all. There is no shame in feeling fear, Issei. But I assure you, we will do our best to ensure no harm comes to you.**

Issei took a deep breath, then another before sitting up straight on the bench. _Alright. Let's do this._

* * *

Issei spent the night in the park, finding a good patch of grass to rest on. He nearly forgot to call his parents to explain his absence for the night, but he only had to mention that he was staying the night at Matsuda's to get them off his back. Thank goodness he had his cellphone with him and not in his bag, which he had left back in his classroom. With that taken care of he settled down to rest.

However he couldn't get a single minute of sleep, his mind going into overdrive picturing all sorts of scenarios of how the next day was going to go wrong. Seraphina had attempted to sing a lullaby, which certainly helped, but not even her comforting voice could chase away all of his anxieties.

Before he knew it, night had passed and the sun was rising. He groaned as he got up, dusting off his clothes, and straightened his shirt as much as possible. He scrounged up enough change in his pockets to buy a small breakfast at a convenience store before making his way to Kuoh Academy. _I feel like a death row inmate walking to the chair._

 **And I'm sure you smell like one. For God's sake, kid, pull yourself together.**

Issei could hear Seraphina and Nick sigh simultaneously. **Ulrich, I understand that you are attempting the 'tough love' approach, but I seriously doubt that is what the young man needs right now.**

 _Thanks, guys._

 **Not a problem.** Nick replied. **Just remember, we will wait until your classes are over before confronting them. Until then stay with your friends. If you do come across them, act as if they were just another classmate. Understood?**

 _I remember._ They must have repeated this a hundred times by now, but Issei couldn't bring himself to be annoyed. This would possibly be the most dangerous thing he had ever done. And considering the past two days, that really was saying something.

He walked to his classroom, just like he did every morning, and tried not to fidget. Nick and Ulrich had drilled into his head (quite literally) to never show weakness against a superior opponent. That meant he had to show them that, even though he panicked last night, he would not cow down before them.

He entered the classroom without incident, and really wished he had walked slower. Motohama and Matsuda were cowering in the corner, with Aika Kiryuu threatening to expose the size of their manhoods. He considered getting the hell out of there, but his friends spotted him, and Aika, unfortunately, noticed.

"Speak of the devil!" she exclaimed, making her way over. _I'd really rather you didn't._ She pushed up her glasses, the way she always did when she was about to tease someone. "I was just tlling your friends how I've never actually properly... 'measured' you. What do you say?" She walked closer, leaning forwards slightly, her breasts jiggling distractingly. UNfortunately, she noticed exactly how distracting they were.

"Well, since you've already gotten a good look, it's only fair I get the same, hm?"

Issei gulped, and decided it was time for a strategic retreat. He sidestepped her, nearly tripping over his own feet as he ran for his desk to hide from her eyes. He ignored the giggling behind him and collapsed into his seat, and heard his friends approaching.

"So?" said Matsuda

He peeled his face off of the desk. "So what?

"SO, you dimwit, did you get reamed by the Student Council yesterday?"

"Huh?" he said, momentarily confused, before remembering his pre-prepared cover story. "Oh, yeah. Apparently they had enough complaints from the kendo team to warrant an official punishment. I got detention and I gotta be their lackey for two weeks. Kinda like community service." he said, trying to make his voice sound whiny.

Motohama clapped him on the back in reassurance. "That's all? Doesn't sound too bad. Filing paperwork with the beauties on the Student Council? Damn it, sounds like heaven. I'm jealous."

"Yeah, maybe." Issei muttered something under his breath along the lines of 'the other direction'. Then a thought popped into his head. _Wait, there are more than two people in the Student Council, and Rias-senpai has a club of her own. Are they all Devils too?_

His breathing quickened as panic began to set in, but Seraphina's voice flowed into his mind. **Calm yourself, Issei. It matters not how many of them they are. Our plan** _ **will**_ **work, and in the absolutely miniscule chance it fails, our contingency will ensure your safety.**

Issei took deep breaths, his heartbeat settling and the lump in his throat clearing. _Yes. Thank you, Sera. You're right, I'm being stupid._

 **It's not stupidity, Issei. In the past two days you have experienced more trauma than most people thrice your age. This really is asking too much of you. But...**

 _But if I don't do this, I'm screwed, right? I already agreed with this, I have to go through with it. I got it, but it doesn't change the fact that later today, I'm going to negotiate with supernatural girls that are pretty much the embodiment of trickery and temptation._

 **Relax, boy. Take it from a war veteran. The worst thing you can do right now is panic. Your body will seize up, you won't be able to think, you get tunnel vision, and the next thing you know, the enemy is right in front of you. Bang. You're dead. Well, not** _ **dead...**_

 _Yeah, you said you were a soldier. Was that how you... 'died' for the first time?_

 **Mm, yes. I was a soldier in the Soviet Army during World War II. My first death was in the Battle of Stalingrad.**

 _The what?_

 **You've never heard of it, boy? Clearly you have not paid too much attention to your history lessons. It was the turning point in the war against the Nazis. The start of the Red Army's counterattack. And I was right in the middle of it.**

 **The German tanks were rolling into the city. The Luftwaffe had bombed nearly every building already. No doubt they thought they had already won. Once they rolled into the rubble, we struck. Their soldiers caught off guard, their tanks slow and useless, they were sitting ducks. But in no way was it an easy battle.**

 **I had climbed onto a Panzer. I had a molotov in my left hand, and was opening the hatch with my right. I swung it open, and was just about to throw it down when I got a bullet, in my left shoulder. I was shot by a man who was two feet from me and I didn't even notice. Because of that stupid mistake, I got a bullet in my neck and woke up after the battle buried in a pile of rubble.**

 _Wow..._

 **Good story, huh? My grandchildren always loved it, before I got to the bullet in the neck, of course. My point is, boy, the battle field is large, much larger than your scope of vision. If you work yourself up too much on what's in front of you, you will never see anything else.**

 _I-I'll... I'll try._

 **Good. Now, pay attention to your instructor, talk to your pervert friends. I know you want to get it all over with, but time will not go faster. The fight will come, believe me.**

* * *

Issei followed Ulrich's advice and went through the day like he always did. He paid attention in class, he looked at Motohama's new selection of magazines, he acted... normal. And amazingly, it did help. His anxieties were still there, but now he didn't feel like crawling under a rock for a few years. When the end of class bell rang, he was ready.

And so was the enemy.

A tall and slender girl with blue shoulder length hair was standing in the doorway, chatting with the girls who had run over to fawn over her.

Ah yes, Yura Tsubasa, the Treasurer of Kuoh Student Council. One of the few people Issei could forgive for having bishounen looks because she pulled it off so well. He could feel his male ego take a nose dive the more he saw her interact with his classmates. He had a sinking feeling that was the general consensus for every guy who saw her.

"I'm sorry girls, but I'm afraid I am here on Student Council business." She calmly strode past them, walking across the room with every eye trained on her, but her own eyes were locked with just one person. "Hyoudou-san? Can you please come with me to the Council room?"

Shocked gasps (from both genders) rang throughout the room, but Issei paid them no mind. He maintained eye ontact with Yura, refusing to flinch. "Sure, Yura-san." he replied, using her first name on purpose, daring her to make a comment. "I was just coming over to meet you anyway." _I can't believe I said that with a straight face._

To her credit, her eyes only narrowed marginally for half a second, but he still caught it. "Great! Shall we?"

He followed her out of the classroom, his face twitching from trying to hold back a grin at seeing the priceless expressions on his classmate's faces.

 **Well, it seems you unsettled her.** Seraphina commented.

 **The girl probably expected you to be a nervous wreck.** Nick added. **In some ways, that works in our favor. They will underestimate you, and are likely to make mistakes, or overlook yours.**

 _I feel like I've just been slightly insulted...Well at least this confirms the 'Devil Council' theory._

The pair garnered a lot of attention from the bystanders, mostly angry looks directed at him accompanied by hissing and muttering. _If the Devils don't get me, they will._ It wasn't until they reached the stairwells that he noticed that they weren't going up to the third floor.

"Tsubasa-senpai? Aren't we going to the Student Council Room?"

"No, the President thought that this meeting should be done in a more private setting. We are heading to the Occult Research Club room in the old school building." she answered with an easy smile.

 **They are changing the battle field, Issei. Don't react, but be ready. You've never been to this building before, so keep an eye out for all possible exit routes.** Ulrich's commanding voice wasn't loud, but it had so much weight Issei hhad to fight the urge to salute.

They were outside now, and Issei saw their destination. An old-fashioned western style building. Ivy grew in thick vines on the walls, giving it an eerie, yet charming aesthetic. he walked behind her, surveying the building (and discreetly checking her out) when he felt what he could only describe as a wall of energy pass over him. Through sheer willpower, he supressed the urge to drop to his knees. He schooled his features and forced his feet forward.

 _W-What the hell was that?_

 **A magical ward.** Seraphina answered. **It is quite sophisticated. Whoever set this up had both power and finesse. The only reason you could sense it was because of me. I don't believe those Devils were responsible for it, though. They were too young.**

They had reached the end of the hall, and Yura had just opened the door. "Excuse us." Issei repeated the greeting, and stepped into the room in what he hoped to be a show of confidence.

Confidence that he almost lost. Oddly enough, not by fear. Or maybe it was more accurate to say not _only_ from fear. He was nearly overcome by the wave of lust that crashed into his mind. Every part of his body became hypersensitive. The way they looked, how they smelled, their melodious voices in his ear, every movement they made compelled him to take them, to kiss them, to _**fuck the-**_

 **ISSEI! Snap out of it!**

The haze cleared, and so did his senses. He was still standing in the doorway, and thankfully they hadn't started speaking to him. He quickly tried to regulate his breathing, desperately hoping his composure had held. _What was that?!_

 **I don't have any idea.** Nick replied, his voice carrying the first sign of distress Issei had ever heard from him. **It was as if every scrap of self-control you possessed was forcibly taken from you.**

 **I'm sorry, Issei.** Seraphina said, guilt evident in her voice. **I should have foreseen this. I expected a slight clouding of the mind due to their presence, but I failed to take into account your propensity for perversion. I should have known better. I promise I shall explain later, but for now you must not lose your composure.**

He looked around the room, and was greeted with familiar faces. In addition to Rias-senpai, Akeno-senpai, Souna-kaichou and Tsubaki-senpai, the two other members of the Occult Research Club, the school mascot Koneko Toujou and the bishounen prince, Kiba Yuuto, were present as well. From Souna-kaichou's side were the Council Treasurer Yura Tsubasa, and the Council Secretary, Saji Genshirou.

Rias had begun speaking, drawing his attention out of his mind. She was speaking in an almost casual manner, but Issei did not fail to see the slight confusion and hostility in her green eyes. "I must apologize, Ise-kun."

A week ago he would have given anything to have Rias Gremory address him in such a familiar way. Now it just made him feel nauseated.

"I'm afraid we acted in a... less than hospitable manner to you yesterday. Our actions were inexcusable." She set down her teacup and placed her hands on her lap in a show of contrition. "Please forgive our rudeness."

Issei spouted out the words Nick was feeding into his ear. "Seriousy, it's nothing. I understand why you did. I am a dangerous interloper hidden in your territory for years. If anything, it's my fault for not announcing I am here. But believe me when I say, up until Raynare's attack, I had no idea of any other supernatural beings in Kuoh."

"I find that hard to believe." In contrast to Rias, Sona's voice was cold and guarded. "But since you are admitting your own fault, I shall accept your apology. In exchange, explain your purpose here."

 _Of all things, they're going with good cop, bad cop?_

 **Cliché it may be, it is still an effective tactic. Now look sharp. This is where the difficult part begins.**

"Of course, Sona-kaichou." He set down his teacup and looked her straight in the eye. Nick had told him what to expect and had drilled him on how to act. He had insisted on the importance of maintaining facade of strength and assurance. It made sense, he supposed. He was already in a weak position. The last thing he needed was for them to notice how rattled he was.

In an involuntary action, the others leaned forwards to hear his explanation. _Alright, here's the hard bit._ "I belong to a small, but purely human organization. For generations, we have been dormant, and have never been interested in the Three Biblical Factions or anything supernatural, really.

"The only reason for my emergence is due to the Fallen Angel Raynare's attack. I admit that was partly my fault. I didn't realize that she had outed me as supernatural until she revealed herself to be a Fallen." Technically all true, but the order of events had been tweaked slightly. Nick had quickly realized how bad of a liar Issei was, even with someone prompting his words, so he formulated a response that was all true to minimize risk of detection.

"I have a question." said Rias. "Of all places, why did you choose Kuoh to be your place of residence? I find it hard to believe that you just happened to live in the same town as the sisters of Maou."

 **Ignore that last part. Stick to the script.** "Honestly? It was. Where I would live was determined even before I was born. In other words, this place was chosen before the Devils set foot here." That part was a gamble, but according to Seraphina, Devil bodies aged in the same rate as humans until they fully matured, and then they slowed considerably. As well as that, very young Devils, no matter how powerful, would never be placed in charge of an entire territory on Earth.

"Say we believe you. You still have not explained your purpose here."

"I said it already haven't I? We have been dormant for years. Right now, we have no objective other than our continued survival and maintaining our secrecy. Believe me, up until a two days ago, my biggest worry is that calculus exam on Tuesday. There are few of us as it is, the last thing I need is the Grigori after my head."

A silence fell over them. Just like Nick said. He watched them carefully, and he saw the others exchange glances, weighing his words, trying to spot a lie in the mess of half-truths. _Wait, wait and wait, and whoever makes the next move loses._

"So? What do you want? If your aim was secrecy, then why choose to speak with two Devils on their home base, one whom has her entire peerage present?"

 _Peerage?_

 **Ask about that. If it is a relatively new term, it is fine not to know about it.**

"A peerage? Sorry, but I don't know what that means."

"Not surprising. It is a recent development for Devils. Suffice it to say it is the collective term used for a High-Class Devil's servants." Rias didn't give anymore details, which made sense. They may have deemed him as a non-hostile, but in no way did it mean they trust him.

"Very well. You are correct. I propose a ceasefire between my organization and yours, as well as an alliance to destroy or exile the Fallen Angels currently in Kuoh."

He could see the slight surprise in the others' faces, but the two in front of him remained stoic. Sona was the first to speak. "You are aware of the current treaty of non-aggression between our factions? You ask us to violate that pact, and for what?"

"Please stop that." Issei said in what he hoped to be a condescending tone. It was hard to pull it off considering the levels of intimidation he felt, but this was possibly the hardest part of the negotiation. He remembered what Nick had told him the night before.

 _ **Remember, Issei. True negotiation is not a battle, or a game, it is a dance. It is here where power and skill a balanced on a razor blade, and simple gestures carry more weight than a sword. The boundaries have been set, the risks assessed, the rhythm has been chosen. All that is left is to decide is who will take the lead.**_

"You know as well as I do that pact is a farce, a band-aid over a bullet wound that's a thousand years old. The only reason you haven't chased them out yet is becuase they haven't given you a good enough reason."

"Let me guess... You're going to be our reason."

 _That didn't take long._ "Yes." he said simply.

It seems that Souna was the more intelligent of the two, as she had grasped the entirety of his intentions before Rias had a clue. And judging by the look on her face, she did not expect this.

"I wish to make a Pact with you."

* * *

 **Didn't see that coming did ya? A lot of people in the comments have argued against Issei being in a peerage, and I agree 100%! I needed him to ally with the Devils, but I can tell you now, there is no chance of him** _ **ever**_ **joining a peerage. Not just because he's a symbol of humanity, (or he's shit scared of them) but because of a more fundamental reason...**

 **A Pact, as I understand it, is performed by human Magicians with Devils for either protection, information, prestige or all three. I tweaked it a bit so the Pact extended to any human.**

 **Anyways, I'll try to keep things going, but until then, tell me what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4: Ignition

The First Flame

 **Alright, here we go again. Some people have commented on the inner dialogue and how it runs on too long, but I'm afraid I must disagree. If you think about it, Issei's past lives are pretty much his only trusted allies right now, so it should be no surprise that he would value their presence and advice.**

 **Also someone has complained about canon Issei, but I'm not a big believer of changing a character's personality on the outset, I plan to do that along the way. And I never really disliked canon Issei. I do agree that fan-service can only get one so far, so I won't rely on that.**

 **On with the show!**

 **(Oh yeah, I don't own High School DxD)**

 **Chapter 4: Ignition**

A magical Pact, as Seraphina had explained to Issei, was a binding contract between two people, one of whom was usually a human Magician. The contents of the Pact may vary according to what the Magician desires or requires. It could be anything from knowledge or tutelage, protection in times of conflict, or simple prestige by allying themselves with a high-ranking member of another society, Devil or otherwise. He recalled the conversation last night...

* * *

 _I don't get it. How is a pact going to help me? There's no guarantee they're going to keep their promises. They're Devils._

 **Actually, there is.**

 _Huh?_

 **It is true that a magical Pact is instigated by the human party, but it is woven and bound using the** _ **Devil's**_ **magic. A Devil will have no choice but to uphold the terms of the contract lest they suffer an extremely negative magical rebound. Not to mention, despite their propensity for trickery, Devils are too prideful to break a pact that they have agreed to. In a society where treachery is commonplace, their word is all they have.**

 **You're forgetting something, Sera. There's more than one Devil at that academy.** Nick pointed out.

 **That is irrelevant. The point of this is to prove to the Devils that you are willing to co-exist with them peacefully. And what better way is there to cement a partnership than in the heat of battle?**

Which is how they assured him, this would be the perfect way to ally with them.

* * *

Unsurprisingly, Everyone in the room, bar Issei and Souna were shocked with his suggestion. Even Rias' composure had slipped, and Saji's face was just hilarious.

"Let me get this straight." Souna began, pushing up her glasses. "You want to form a Magical Pact with one of us?"

"Yes." Issei smiled, wishing that he looked in any way confident. "It would give you the excuse you wanted to rightfully expel the Fallen Angels from your territory, and it would give me necessary protection for the future."

"...You realize that a Magical Pact is not a contract to be entered lightly."

"I do, and I also realize that negotiations are normally long tedious procedures that can take several days. Unfortunately, I do not have that kind of time, so I request we settle this as soon as possible."

Rias' eyes narrowed. "You are not in any position to make demands."

"I'm not demanding, I'm _requesting._ " he stressed. "I assure you this would be very beneficial to you, and your peerage." This is one of his numerous sources of worry. These were Devils, what use could they possibly have for one human, albeit with mysterious powers?

"I've already said that the Devils and the Fallen are under a non-aggression treaty. We don't care if the Fallen Angels are here. We won't risk an all-out conflict for you."

Issei clamped down on his growing sense of trepidation, as Nick continued feeding him lines. "I would think that High-class Devils would be more concerned that a Fallen Angel slipped so seamlessly into their territory without permission or even announcing their presence."

An eyebrow twitched. It was a tiny, almost imperceptible movement, but he caught it. _Just a little more._ "Or perhaps you already knew of their presence and chose a hands-off approach as a safety precaution."

Rias placed her teacup back in the saucer with enough force that Issei was worried she cracked it. **They're hooked.** Issei could feel Nick's satisfaction. **Now to reel them in.** The provocation couldn't be more obvious, but knowledge of it was irrelevant once the real issue was brought to light. Issei had all but accused them of weakness and complacency, a huge insult to a species as prideful as Devils. They had no choice but to respond seriously now.

"You claim this... partnership will benefit both of us?" Rias stood up, her eyes hard as emeralds. "Prove it."

* * *

And that how Issei ended up behind the old school building, his opponent warming up twenty meters in front of him. The two of them stood in a circle drawn in the ground fifty meters in diameter, while Souna was reciting the rules.

"The fight will continue until one of the participants has either been knocked unconscious, forfeited, or killed." Issei winced when he heard the last condition. "it will also be considered a loss if a participant steps out of bounds. Do you both understand these rules?"

"Perfectly." Issei replied tersely.

"Understood, president." Kiba Yuuto smiled that infuriating smile that made all the girls swoon.

Issei knew that this was coming. Devils valued power above all else, and a duel would be the quickest way to prove his strength. However, that doesn't mean he wasn't scared shitless. His last combat scenario lasted less than a minute and he had the element of surprise. Here the opponent would not underestimate him, and would be undoubtedly leagues above him in terms of skill. He wasn't looking forward to it.

But now?

Call him spiteful, but he had wanted to smash Kiba's pretty boy face into the dust for years, and the only thing holding him back was the threat of retribution from his rabid supporters. So when Kiba had been chosen as his opponent, he couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. Anyways, he would've preferred fighting him over all the others.

Devil or not, he couldn't imagine trying to burn cute little Koneko-chan.

Furthermore, this ensured that he would only be fighting one of them, not an entire horde. Violence was unavoidable, but this solution minimized the risks, and maximized the chances of success.

 **Easy there, Issei. Don't get ahead of yourself.** said Seraphina. **Remember, it matters little if you win or lose. What's important is you make an impression.**

 _I know, Sera. Leave this to me._

"Are you ready?" Souna held her arm out in an imaginary line between them. "Then, begin!" She leaped back gracefully, and just in time as Kiba disappeared in a gust of wind. Issei's eyes widened before he called out the flame inside him. Instantly, the white fire burst from his chest. The flame expanded to form five rings moving in random patterns around him. Kiba seemingly materialized to his left, not even a scorch mark on his clothing.

Issei eyed the gleaming Western style sword in Kiba's right hand. He could feel an ominous, yet familiar feeling emanating from the wicked blade. It almost seemed like a weaker feeling he got from the Devils. _Where the hell did that thing come from?_ He put the question to the back of his mind as he saw Kiba hold his sword with both hands.

Issei took the initiative. He raised a hand, bending the flames to his will, sending three fireballs rocketing towards Kiba. As expected, the blond Devil dodged it easily, ducking and weaving through the trails of fire. Issei growled and willed the flames to intensify and rotate around his body faster.

Issei was no fighter. He was average in terms of strength and speed. All he had was the power of the white flame, and the experience of those who came before him. But that was everything he needed.

One touch, and victory was his.

But he wouldn't get it just standing here. Within the confines of the flames, Kiba couldn't touch him, but at the same time, he had shown that he was capable of effortlessly dodging the fire. The Devil was obviously more experienced than he was, and he wouldn't take any unnecessary risks. Even now, Issei could barely keep track of the clouds of dust his opponent was kicking up. If this continued, they would be locked at a stalemate.

So Issei had to make it worth his while.

With a mental push, he expended as much flame as he could, but only in one concentrated ring at the level of his knees. If shounen anime had taught him anything, it was to aim for the legs when fighting a faster enemy. He whirled around in time to see Kiba five feet in the air. _I got you now!_ The flames changed direction towards the swordsman, coming from three directions so there was no way for him to spin his body around them.

Or so he thought.

Pitch-black bat wings sprouted from Kiba's back, propelling him safely away from the danger. He glided above him, outside the range of his control for fire. _Oh, that is such bullshit!_

Annoyed, he sent more fireballs towards Kiba, who swerved to avoid each one. Issei grew more and more frustrated, lashing out with whips of flame in random directions. Kiba created a sword with a blade of ice in each hand. As he flew, the swords flashed through each projectile he sent, scattering the flames into little more than white ribbons.

 _What! My flames... how is he-_

Seraphina's soothing presence emerged from the back of his mind. **Calm yourself, Issei. Clear your mind and think. The strength of your fire is predicated on the strength of your will, and now your will is in turmoil.**

Issei took several deep breaths, forcing out his rage through each exhalation. Sera was right. The white flame is the strongest in existence. As humiliating as it was to admit, any weakness came from him. It wouldn't be right for their plan to come apart just because he got overexcited.

Once had calmed down enough, rational thought took over, analyzing Kiba's movements as he evaded the evershifting fire. _He's much slower when he's airborne._ Issei manipulated the fire into thin cords, sending them hurtling towards Kiba, forcing him to rely on his swords instead of cleanly dodging them.

 _More... get hotter... burn brighter!_

* * *

Kiba didn't know what hit him.

Well, actually, he did know _what_. He just had no friggin' clue _how._

The battle was going relatively well. He had been startled by the flames, but he had quickly regained his composure. He had much experience dodging magical projectiles from his spars with Akeno-senpai. And lightning was so much faster than fire.

After the flames grew in number, he simply used **[Flame Delete]** , the Flame-Freezing Sword, a product of his Sacred Gear, **[Sword Birth]** ,to nullify them, which turned out to be a great decision. Ordinarily **[Flame Delete]** could absorb the energy of flames for himself. Whatever kind of magical energy Hyoudou-san used to create these flames were, they actively resisted the demonic nature of **[Sword Birth]** , but at the same time, he knew that the energy was not the least bit holy in nature, so **[Holy Eraser]** would be useless.

What kind of magician was he?

Shrugging off the questions for the moment, he turned his focus back to the fight. While it was true that his speed was greatly diminished in the air, he was still agile enough to avoid being burned. He fought back a smirk. Hyoudou-san might be a formidable magician, but he must be reaching his limits. At first, he was excited about facing a new opponent, but it wasn't as fulfilling as he had thought, especially if fire was the extent of Hyoudou-san's repertoire.

Sure enough, he could see the flames beginning to slow, the gaps between them becoming larger. His enemy had presented an impressive defense, the rings of fire ensuring no entry from all directions. But it also rooted him in one place. He was like a stationary turret; powerful, but vulnerable to attack.

He moved quickly, but he kept his flight patterns erratic so Hyoudou-san wouldn't catch on to his intentions. Soon, he saw an opportunity. Pushing his wings to the limit, he darted to the opening. He quickly changed directions and dove straight down, his sword poised to strike, like an eagle with its talons ready to capture prey.

It was the heat he noticed first. In hies eagerness to strike, he failed to see the fires form a funnel shape around him, with a speed he could have sworn was instantaneous, before the open end of the funnel above him closed. He was trapped in a spherical prison of blinding white flame. Hyoudou-san's voice came from all directions, like the fire itself was speaking to him.

 **"Surrender, or these flames will swallow you."**

Kiba supressed a snarl. Rias-senpai had instructed him to only used the basics of his Sacred Gear as well as his speed and swordsmanship, but he didn't know how else to get out of this. Raising his magical energy, he manifested eight swords, each one a perfect copy of **[Flame Delete]** and sent them spinning into the flames.

To his amazement, the blades of ice failed to even weaken the flames that they were easily cutting through not one minute ago. Changing tactics, he withdrew his swords before they were overwhelmed and melted down. He aimed them in one spot, straight above him, where he knew it was furthest from Hyoudou-san's reach.

The flames weren't negated, but he did succeed in pushing the flames aside to create a small hole that he immediately flew through. But despite all of his speed, he was nowhere near fast enough to dodge what happened next. The ball of fire behind him grew brighter than the midday Sun, and even if it was behind him, he could feel light searing his retinas. His eyes didn't suffer for long.

The light grew to unbearable levels, then his whole vision turned black.

* * *

"So, have you judged me worthy of your partnership?"

They were back in the clubroom, now. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows through the window of the room. Despite the growing darkness, Issei couldn't help but feel elated.

He had done it. He had beaten Kiba. Defeated him to such a degree that even after Akeno had pulled her magic on him and healed the burns that covered half of his back and legs, he remained unconscious and had to be taken to a separate room to recuperate, while Akeno continued her healing spells.

Okay, so maybe causing an explosion at point blank range while his opponent's back was turned was not really in the sense of fair play. But come on, how else was he meant to beat a flying Devil swordsman? It wasn't as if he was aiming to kill the guy. Sure that explosion would have done serious damage to a human, but Seraphina had assured him that Devils were made of sterner stuff than that.

Although, right now, sitting across from Rias, he couldn't help but feel that he was projecting an air of smugness and self-satisfaction. Which is probably the cause of the incessant twitching of Rias' left eyebrow.

It seems Souna did not trust her companion to speak and answered his question. "Yes. Kiba is an experienced combatant. If your claims of being a pacifist until now were true, your magical capabilities truly are impressive." Issei didn't need to be an expert in politics to read between the lines there. _I expected you to lose. Soundly._ "I am confident that an alliance with such a proficient magician would come with several advantages."

"You flatter me. I had the element of surprise. If Yuuto-san had been more aware of my abilities, I'm sure he would have beaten me." He really didn't know what would count as defeat since he would have just healed over and over again, but he couldn't just say 'Yup, I'm freakin' awesome' to their faces.

It was kinda tempting, though.

"So let's talk terms." Souna brought up the elephant in the room. "What do you propose?"

"I'm not asking for much." Issei said in a reassuring tone. "A simple defense pact, and a mutual indemnification clause should suffice." Nick had given Issei a crash course in strategic alliances, what he just asked for simply stated that if one party faced a crisis, the other would be obligated to come to their assistance. As well as that, if either party suffers harm or any form or loss due to the contract, the other party shall compensate them.

In terms for strategic alliances, it was pretty barebones, but it didn't need to be complex. It needed to be airtight. And the more stipulations they added, the harder it would be to keep track of any loopholes.

Souna nodded as if expecting this, and Issei was pretty sure she did. "I can agree to those terms, but there remains a problem. I do not have permission to form a magical contract."

Of all things, Issei was not expecting that. "May I ask why?"

"Both Rias and I belong to high-ranking families. Even for a contract as simple as you are requesting, clearing the bureaucratic red-tape could take weeks, which defeats the purpose of you coming here."

 _Damn..._ They were so close. But there were other ways around this. Nick was already sending him the words he needed to continue. He can't panic now, all he had to do wa-

"Let me do it."

The small voice caught all of them unawares, even Rias was broken out of her contemplations. They all turned their heads to the one who had spoken, who had moved so she was standing less than two feet away from Issei.

"Koneko-chan?!" Rias exclaimed, completely dropping any semblance of calm. "Don't you think you're being hasty?"

"Rias-senpai, please let me do this. I don't need your parents' permission, just yours. The contract isn't dangerous. I can handle myself. Please." Her eyes, which had been orbs of blank indifference, were now tinged with an odd combination of determination and curiosity.

Master and servant locked eyes, a silent debate passing between them that Issei had no hope in understanding. After a few tense seconds, a victor emerged.

"Alright, Koneko-chan." She stood from her seat and came in front of Koneko, who had fallen to a subservient position, down on one knee, her right hand held over her heart.

"Koneko Toujou. I, Rias, heir to the clan of Gremory, hereby grant thee permission to contract with Issei Hyoudou." A crimson sigil with a stylized rose appeared on Rias' right hand, just as an identical symbol glowed on Koneko's chest. The two sigils glowed brightly before dispersing into faint red lights. "May this endeavor bring honor and glory to you."

 **How odd...** Seraphina's confused voice flowed into him.

 _How do you mean?_

 **Those words weren't standard. Often, if a servant wishes to form a contract with a third party, in this case, us, the master granting permission would include something to ensure they would not be held accountable for our actions. Basically, if we do something bad, Koneko would have to deal with it herself. But what she did... she might as well be saying, 'I'll stand with you, no matter what he does'. Strange, for Devils.**

 _Strange indeed..._ Issei wondered if Devil masters could hold some form attachment to their servants, or vice versa. Another thought wondered if thinking like that was slightly racist.

Once Koneko stood, so did he. She held out her right arm, which he grasped with his own. He nearly buckled from the surprising strength in her grip, and he was sure that the force was enough to leave a nasty bruise. _How can such a little girl be so strong?_

 **Repeat these words, Issei.**

"I, Issei Hyoudou request to contract with the Devil, Ko-"

"No." she cut him off there.

"What's wrong?"

"Not Koneko Toujou. Shirone." she corrected him, not once changing her voice. And yet, Issei couldn't help but feel a sense of indignation in her tone, and couldn't help but nod. To the side, Rias' shocked expression returned with greater force, while Souna and the rest of the Student Council wore confused looks.

"Shirone, then."

"I, Issei Hyoudou request to contract with the Devil, Shirone."

"I, Shirone, acknowledge and accept your plea."

 **"By this contract,"** the two of them now spoke in unison, their voices laden with magic, the air around them thick with power. Her grip became even tighter, but he paid it no head. A crimson circle appeared underneath their feet, shining brighter with each word. **"I swear to give aid to you in times of distress, to fight alongside you to the best of my ability in times of battle, and I shall expect the same from you. "**

White fire leaked from his hand, just as white energy was exuded from hers. The two energies, intertwined, coiling around each other as they wrapped around their outstretched hands.

 **"I shall never inflict any form of harm, or loss to you, my fellow contractor. And should I fail to uphold my vow, I swear to do everything and anything in my power to do whatever needs to be done as restitution."** They were in perfect sync now. Issei could feel his connection to her strengthening, ad he knew she could feel it as well. The words were short and simple, but pacts really didn't require the kind of pomp and circumstance Rias had shown earlier. As long as the words were sincere, and were understood completely by both parties, the pact will take effect.

 **"By my power, this I swear to you."**

Their magic flared, and the crimson circle rose through them coming in line with their entwined hands. Issei could feel a foreign presence within him. His first instinct was to reject it, but he restrained himself. He knew what it was, it was Ko- no, Shirone. It was as if a tendril of her energy reached out to him, coiling around his, and he reciprocated.

It was a new feeling, but not unwelcome. Earlier, when he had died and been reborn, he had met and connected with and assimilated more than a hundred personas, but all of them were already a part of his being, like he was remembering a memory he had long thought he had lost. Here, he knew it was a completely different person he was forming a connection with. Granted, the connection was nowhere near as strong, but he could feel the power and authority it represented.

The glow of the magic circle dimmed, and then faded completely. Issei released a breath he didn't know he was holding. He saw his junior-now-contractor relax, while still keeping up her stoic expression. For some reason, he got the feeling that she was satisfied, like she had confirmed something good. They maintained eye contact and he saw something in her eyes. Respect? Curiosity? He wasn't quite sure, but he resolved to find out.

"...Well. Now, that that's done." Rias clapped her hands, breaking his reverie. "Can you two let go of each other already?!"

Issei looked down and saw that he was still clutching Koneko's hand. He released her hand and awkardly rubbed the back of his hand. "Sorry, Koneko-chan."

"It's alright..."

Rias sighed before walking to her desk at the side of the room. She opened a drawer and pulled out a familiar sheet of paper. "Here, take this."

The paper was rough, and looked like it was a hundred years old and belonged in a museum. Runic markings ran along the edges, and a magic circle was inscirbed in the center, with the words, 'We grant your wish' below it. "This flier..."

"Yes. It's a summoning circle for a member of my peerage. Now that you and Koneko-chan are contractors, you really shouldn't need it, but better safe than sorry." Normally, she would be right. The relationship between a magician and another party was special. Either party need only think of the other, and express their desire to summon them, and they will come.

Of course, they didn't have to know that he had no idea how to cast a summoning circle on his own.

"We can't lead an assault on a Fallen Angels with a man down, so we shall wait until Yuuto-san has healed fully, but if they attack you again, do not hesitate to call upon Toujou-san, as it would be an assault on the clan of Gremory. And of course, due to the alliance between my family and Rias', the Student Council would be allowed to assist." Souna explained. "We can destroy the nest with a minimal risk of casualties for our side."

Issei nodded. He would have preferred to urge them to deal with the Fallen as soon as possible, but Nick warned him that he shouldn't push it. And he agreed. The fact that they had agreed to contract with them was more than he really expected.

"I thank you for indulging my selfish request."

"I do hope that your worth all the trouble I just know you're going to bring." said Rias, pinching the bridge of her nose. She probably didn't expect Koneko to jump at the chance to contract with him. Well, he certainly wasn't complaining. "I think it is time for you to leave. We have to plenty discuss tonight."

"Thank you. I will see you all tomorrow." Just barely restraining the urge to run, he walked out with as much dignity he could muster.

The door shut behind him, and he pumped his fist with a silent 'Yes!' _That worked, and it fucking worked brilliantly!_

 **Told you so.**

 _Yeah, you told me so. Rub it in, I don't care. This is the first thing that went right for me since my resurrection._

 **Issei. You may relax slightly, but keep your guard up. We have only eliminated the threat of the Devils. The Fallen Angels still remain.** Nick chided him.

Sera retorted. **Now, now. We have achieved a victory here, one that is crucial to our goal of securing our safety. Let him celebrate.**

 _Thanks, Sera. Maybe now, I can get a decent night's sleep._

* * *

"What were you _thinking_?!"

Rias' voice wasn't so much angry as it was exasperated. Koneko sat wordlessly on the sofa, munching on some candy that Akeno had laid out. Beside her, Kiba was sitting after just having woken up, a bandage wrapped around his head, covering one of the many burns on his body. Akeno had filled him in on recent happenings, and now both of them were watching Rias pace with a bemused expression.

"...I don't know what you mean."

"Koneko! You know well what I'm talking about. That man is dangerous! What possessed you to jump at a chance to contract with a magician we've met less than 48 hours ago?"

"...Don't know yet."

"Koneko!" Rias nearly collapsed from sheer irritation. "That is not good enough! Disregarding the fact that we are now affiliated with an unknown magic organization, a fact that my brother will undoubtedly hound me for, we are now obligated to start a fight against the Fallen!"

"You could've said no. And weren't you gonna do it anyway?"

"Yes, on _our terms!_ If I had said no with him right there, he would have caught on to our intentions. The idea was to force him to agree to our conditions, not the other way around!"

"...Sorry."

Rias sighed, falling into the seat next to Koneko, pulling her into a one-armed embrace, and Koneko couldn't bring herself to resist. "I just don't want you to suffer because of this guy. We have no idea what his real intentions are. And I still have no idea why you were so eager, you hate perverts!"

Koneko had to concede that. "...He is a pervert." She really did want to tell her friend and master why she felt so drawn to him. But really, she didn't have much of an idea herself, and she was determined to find out.

She had spent the rest of the evening thinking about it. It was the only thing on her mind even as she went to bed. Yes, he was probably a pervert, and he was definitely dangerous. But there was so much more. She lay there, thinking about the excitement that stirred within her upon feeling that iridescent white fire, the power held within the palm of his hand, the comfort she felt as they completed the contract. Why did she feel this way, and why was she compelled to tell him her real name? And why was she the only one? Surely Kiba should have felt it too, when fighting him.

She held up her right hand, and a small bluish-white flame burst to life in her palm. "So warm..."

* * *

 **Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Chapter 4.**

 **Okay, before I get a shit-storm of people asking me if I'm planning for this to be IsseixKoneko, or IsseixHarem, let me just clarify right now. Who the fuck knows?!**

 **Let me explain my thought process as I write this story. I write what I feel like, then I think of a random idea, and if it fits with the already established rules of the DxD universe, I include it. Otherwise, I make up my own rules to include it or scrap it altogether. With that in mind, some of you might already be able to guess why everyone's favorite cat-girl (or maybe just mine) is so drawn to this pervert.**

 **Furthermore, when I add the romantic elements to this story, (and yes, I said WHEN, this is High School DxD, after all), I'll let you guys know. Or maybe I'll have you guys decide. Who knows? Somebody said in the reviews that this is the kind of story in which I don't know what I want to do, and it's a pretty accurate description.**

 **Anyways, 'til next time! I hope you enjoyed it.**


	5. Chapter 5: Combustion I

The First Flame

 **Here is chapter 5! Some of you may notice the title has a [I] after it. Normally I don't like that because I thought it looks kind of looks lazy and unoriginal, but then I realized if I wanted to keep a 'fire' theme for the titles, I might have to or else I'll run out of words very fast.**

 **To Emrys Akayuki: Yes. (You didn't honestly think I'd answer possible plot points did ya?)**

 **Highschool DxD is not my property. (You think I'd be writing this shit if it was?)**

 **Chapter 5: Combustion [I]**

 _Well, I can't say this day hasn't been interesting._

The day had started off relatively well. He had been able to get a solid seven hours of sleep in his own bed, he had a decent breakfast and when he got to school, Matsuda got the latest issue of his favorite magazine featuring, eh, 'gentlemanly interests'. So yeah, off to good start.

And it wasn't as if it was terribly unpleasant right now, just confusing.

"Okay, let me get this straight." said Issei. "Because of some Great War that ended hundreds of years ago, the Devils needed a quick way to raise the population. So, uh, they made a way to resurrect other species like humans into Devils?"

Koneko nodded wordlessly, even as she chewed on a piece of chicken.

"And of all things, they based it on a fucking _board game_?" he asked incredulously.

"Yep." Koneko's voice and face never changed, but Issei got the distinct feeling she agreed with his opinion. Seriously, they invented an admittedly ingenious system to convert somebody's _species_ , and they formatted it like chess. He had to wonder what the inventor was thinking.

"So... Koneko-chan? Umm, why are you telling me this anyway?" Another point of interest. He had made it explicitly clear that he wasn't expecting anything from them other than their help with the Fallen Angels. He really didn't expect any interaction outside what was absolutely necessary.

Which is why he was completely taken aback when, one day later, the Kuoh Academy mascot burst into his classroom and all but demanded for him to join her on the roof for lunch.

In front of _everyone._

 _Something to worry about later._

"Shirone."

"Sorry?" he asked again, wondering if he had missed something he said.

"Call me Shirone... when we're alone."

Issei would have died of cuteness overload if Ko- _Shirone_ had said that with a slight blush and an embarrassed tone, immortality be damned. But no. Her expression remained stoic, her eyes betraying nothing. She wasn't embarrassed at all. It was a simple and genuine request to call her by name. And he had no reason to decline.

"Alright. Shirone, why are you giving me this information?"

"We're contractors. Besides, it's common knowledge anyway. Won't look good if you don't even know this much about me." she waved away his concerns.

 _So she just wants her contractor brought up to speed, huh?_

 **I am not buying it. She has an ulterior motive, mark my words.** said Nick.

"Well, uh, you could have just, given me a manual or something. Why did you have to call me up on the roof for lunch?"

"Would you have preferred the club room?"

"NO!" he nearly yelled out before he caught himself. "I mean, uh, I think I've overstayed my welcome as far as the Occult Research Club is concerned."

"Understatement."

"Yeah..." That wasn't the only reason he wanted to avoid the Occult Research Club, and the Student Council for that matter. Last night, Seraphina had explained why he nearly lost it after just walking into a room of Devils, and for someone like him, they were far, _far_ more dangerous than he initially thought.

He still thought they were sexy as hell, though.

"So!" he changed the subject. "Any word on Kiba's condition?"

"You mean, how long until we launch our attack on the Fallen?"

"Well, yeah." He didn't see any point in denying it. But he really was curious about Kiba. Last he heard, he had shown up to school covered in bandages, and was currently being waited on hand and foot by the majority of Kuoh's female population.

 _Come to think of it, doesn't that happen, anyway? Figures, I get to beat him up, but he still wins. Lucky bastard._

"Kiba-senpai is recovering well, but most of his energy is being put into recovery. He won't be fit to fight at full for another day, two days at most."

"I see."

"Any sign of the Fallen around you?"

"No, nothing. It's been kinda quiet." _At the risk of sounding cheesy, maybe too quiet._ "It is strange. I'm sure I pissed them off pretty badly. I expected more of a reaction..."

"They're biding time. They want you alone, when you're vulnerable."

"Do you think they know I've contracted myself with you? Is that why they're not making a move?"

"Doubt it." Shirone shook her head. "Probably just being cautious. They don't want to get us involved." She stood up, brushing crumbs of her lunch off of her skirt. "But I have a feeling that'll change soon enough."

"...Yeah, you're probably right about that."

"I have to go. Rias is calling me." She opened the door, and paused, before partially turning around, one hazel eye trained on him. "Tomorrow... meet me here again." Then she was gone.

 _I really can't figure her out._

 **Agreed.** said Nick. **Although I do wonder what that girl had to go through to be so adept at hiding her emotions at such a young age.**

 _You really think something happened to her?_

 **No-one develops a mask that good unless they need to. The key seems to be that alias she uses, Shirone. I'd be wary if I were you, but do not pry either. Without a doubt, it is a sensitive issue.**

 _I'm not that stupid... Anyway, you think she's telling the truth?_

 **I don't see any reason for her to lie about this.** replied Seraphina **If she does have an ulterior motive, she won't gain any favors from you by feeding you false information. It could be true that she wants you to be more familiar with the Devil community. But at least there is some good news for us.**

 _Well, don't keep me in suspense._

 **One of my biggest worries was the chance that we would be forcibly turned into Devils ourselves.**

 _Was?_

 **Once I analyzed the nature of the Evil Piece system and made some speculations as to its inner workings, I realized that we would never be able to become Devils. At least not through the Evil Piece method.**

 **After all, how can you resurrect someone who cannot die?**

* * *

True to their word, the Devils, bar Shirone, had left Issei alone, but he didn't take any chances.

 _Alright that's another one finished._ Issei looked at his handiwork, which was roughly half a meter in size. It was a complicated set of intersecting circles and lines forming complex patterns, surrounded by runic letters, written in a language that hasn't been spoken aloud in three thousand years. The pattern had been scorched into the stone wall outside his house. _Does this look right, Sera?_

 **It's perfect. All that's left is one inside your home and these set of wards would be complete.**

Issei had spent the past three days burning wards all over the house and its surroundings. At first, he was skeptical. He knew nothing about manipulating magic, but Sera had given him a ward scheme that relied on naturally occurring mana, instead of his own. The other issue was, of course, actually drawing them. Thankfully he had a handy cheat code.

Seraphina had apparently spent much of her adult life studying, developing and perfecting the art of magic, something that was aided greatly by her immortality, as she swiftly recovered from any consequences of her experimental... mishaps. As a result, Issei had an archive of memories to draw on, so she merely had to guide him to the memories, and he could imitate them perfectly.

 _I am so acing my final exams._

By the end second day, Issei had covered his home with 21 individual wards, each set of seven interconnected to create a three-tiered defense surrounding the Hyoudou residence. Today was a weekend, so he had plenty of time and he was now finishing the seventh-tier for a total of 49 wards. Excessive? Perhaps, but honestly if Sera hadn't warned him of overloading the system, he would have added more.

 _ **If we want to add stronger wards,**_ she had said. _**they would have to be ones reliant on your own energy, and to create those would require a level of finesse you can't obtain through just memories. And energy manipulation isn't something I can teach you in a few days.**_

Luckily his mother almost never left the house, and when she did, he could almost always come up with an excuse to accompany her. As for his father, he always had a workmate bring him to and from work everyday, so little risk there.

"And that should do it." he exclaimed, his finger, which was coated with fire, drawing the final line in the ward. He felt a pulse of energy wash over him, as it reacted with six other layers of magic and melded with them, strengthening them and becoming stronger in turn. He looked down his right arm, where six white looping patterns criss-crossed like swirling chains, and a seventh connected with them. These tattoos would tell him if anyone tried to breach the wards as well as if the wards were damaged or destroyed.

"I should probably get going now. Kaa-san is probably wondering what's taking me so long to get groceries." He dusted himself off and started making his way to the convenience store down the road.

He hadn't noticed this earlier, but it seems that Ulrich's paranoid soldier mindset was bleeding over to him. Without thinking, he found himself cautiously approaching corners, assessing passers-by for possible threats, carefully approaching trash on the street in case of IEDs, looking on rooftops for snipe-

 _Is that really necessary?!_

 **You tell me. You want to risk getting blown up 'cause you were careless for a single second?**

...

 **I didn't think so.**

Issei couldn't protest. One would think that unconditional immortality meant that they could afford to be lax. But really, who wanted to experience the pain of death? He could heal at an astounding rate, but his nerves still operate like a normal human being. So pain is still very real to him, and because of his healing ability, he didn't have the luxury of dying before the pain hit. So he felt _everything_.

Some could say that this was just a lack of mental fortitude, that he was just being a wimp about this, but fuck them. Let them experience the sensation of being stabbed without end and see how willing _they_ would be to repeat it.

The convenience store was no different. He suppressed a flinch every time someone walked past him, and nearly dropped his basket when another customer bumped into him. Annoying perhaps, but he couldn't help it.

He was walking home, when he came across a white-haired man in a strange white outfit standing in the middle of the road, consulting a map, scratching his head in confusion. He raised his head and seemed to perk up upon seeing his uniform. "Hey kid!" He ran over to him. "Yeah, you!"

"You're a student, right? Mind pointing me to, uh, Kwoh... Academy?"

Issei eyed the man. He was obviously a foreigner, if his hair color and awful pronunciation were anything to go by. Not to mention his rudeness. Nothing unusual about that, Kuoh was supported by many multi-national corporations. Foreigners were nothing new here. The man had an easy-going attitude, and projected an air of charisma and friendliness. There was no rational reason to be wary.

Fortunately, Issei was not a rational person.

"You're pretty close, sir. It's just a five minute walk straight down this road, and turn left when you get to the second crossroads. Though you should know it's probably closed by now."

"Eh? That's fine. Just wanted to know where it was for future reference. Thanks anyway." The man sauntered off in the direction Issei pointed out. Issei waited until he was out of sight before walking away himself, sighing. _Next you'll have me thinking the Fallen Angels are hacking into my phone lines..._

He rounded a corner, still maintaining a level of alertness. His eyes darted around, Ulrich telling him what to look for and how to look for it.

"Ah, geez, kid. Do you ever let your fuckin' guard down?"

That crude statement, was all the warning he got. A hand roughly gripped his shoulder, yanking him into a side alley, and a cold, steel gun-barrel slammed into his neck. His throat was paralyzed, stopping his shout. He dropped his groceries and raised his hand to unleash his flame-

"Ah, ah, not so fast." The white haired man pressed the barrel harder. "I heard from Donnie that 'cause of your powers, you can probably survive a gunshot wound to the face." He cocked the hammer, his eyes manic and his face twisted in sadistic glee, showing no trace of the leisurely foreigner from earlier. "Now, I'm more than willing to see if that's true, and if I do that, it'll invite some more company for us to play with! You get what I'm saying?"

Issei understood perfectly. A gun, especially a gun as large as the one this lunatic was holding, was _loud._ Loud enough to damage your ears if you're too close. And they were in a residential area while the sun was still up. A gunshot here will definitely attract unwanted attention. Attention that this man would be more than willing to exploit.

 _I fucked up... I didn't think they'd have someone willing to do something this stupid, and this crazy... How the hell didn't we sense him?!_

 **Because he's human...**

"Great! Everyone gets to live! Don't ya feel happy? Don't ya feel grateful? Let us rejoice such a momentous occasion! Let us praise the Lord! And there is nowhere better to thank our Father than in his own house. Wouldn't you agree?" A rhetorical question, seeing as the man had started nudging him with the gun.

His left hand dropped to his side, inching his way to the folded flyer in his pant pocket. Unfortunately, the gunman noticed. "Whoa there!" One gloved hand gripped his wrist and twisted it to an unnatural angle. He would have screamed, but his vocal chords were damaged by the gun once again. "If you summon those shitty Devils, you're a sinner! And as a priest, I must punish sinners! So please, go ahead and try!"

Issei said nothing, merely keeping still and glaring at him.

"Well that's just boring. Whatever. Now, get going!"

 _Just wait, you psycho. The moment we're alone, I'll burn you so bad there won't be ashes when I'm done with you._

Issei started walking towards the church. It was a route that was unfamiliar to him, but his captor was kind enough to jab him sharply if he started walking in the wrong direction. Issei tried to find a chance to surprise the stranger, but there too many people, and the man acted like they were best of friends, which meant he had to play along with his insanity or risk a more serious hostage situation.

Soon they reached a church on top of a hill, surrounded by a wrought-iron fence. They walked up to the tall, imposing double doors at the front of the church. Issei could hear and see nothing from the inside, no sign of life or activity whatsoever, but for some reason, this place exuded an atmosphere of dread and hostility.

A sharp nudge stopped his observations. "Well, this should be far enough!" Three deafening cracks sounded out, and simultaneously, Issei grunted in pain and collapsed to all fours. Three holes ripped through him, but it felt like entire sections of his body were being gouged out. In response, the white flame instantly sprung forth to heal him, but the pain persisted. There was something else to these bullets. Something foreign was invading his system, and was disrupting his healing. He growled and turned his head to the shooter.

"These are special hollow-point bullets." He smirked, answering his unasked question. "Donnie did say you can't heal as fast when something stuck in you. So stay down champ, 'cause I'm not really sure many pieces of lead are ripping into you right now. Not to mention how many enchantments they crammed onto these things."

Freed stepped in front of him raised a fist and banged on the oak door five times. The man started yelling like a child calling for his parents. "Dooonnieeee! Open uuup! Won't believe what I got yaaaaa!"

At first, nothing happened. Then the door burst open, revealing a familiar man wearing a fedora and trench coat. "Damn it, Freed! What part of 'discreet' did you not understand?!"

"I understood all of it. I waited 'til I got here before shooting him, didn't I?"

"We were supposed to take him later at his home, when his guard was down! And as for waiting until you got here, it wouldn't surprise me if your twitchy trigger finger just alerted the human authorities!"

"He _never_ has his guard down! And you try getting through the warding at his place discreetly! Just be grateful I was fast enough to get the drop on him."

"Tch, just get him inside. How many bullets did you put in him?"

Freed had grabbed the back of Issei's collar and was roughly dragging him into the church. "Three in the back. Sure he won't just melt those slugs?"

"Those bullets have been blessed and enchanted a hundred times over. He'll have a much harder time burning those bastards. Get him to the cross and we'll start the ritual."

Issei barely heard them. He turned his attention inwards, into the sphere of flames he called his soul. It was there, a small, weak connection, but it was there. He grabbed hold of it and pulled and screamed as hard as possible.

 _Shirone... help me!_

"What the hell?" Dohnaseek snarled. "Didn't you tale away the summoning circle?!"

"Of course I did!"

A red glow filled the church. Issei looked up and couldn't help but grin. "I didn't think you guys would be this stupid."

"Neither did I." A sultry voice emanated from the circle, as four familiar figures materialized in front of him.

"Gremory..." Dohnaseek was apoplectic. "You have no right to interfere with our business here. This is a blatant violation of the non-aggression treaties!"

"Not quite. You broke the terms of the ceasefire when you attacked a magician under the aegis of the House of Gremory. Moreover, you have invaded _my_ territory without proper permission. From where I am standing, we are well within are rights to retaliate."

"MITTELT!" People in black and white full body outfits burst from behind the altar, holding swords and guns of their own. A young-girl who appeared to be thirteen years old in a black lolita dress flew up to the ceiling, with bright pink light spears in her hands.

"Akeno." said Rias, her voice barely a whisper. The raven-haired girl's form glowed. Her uniform broke into particles of light, revealing her voluptuous body for a split second, before she was once again clothed in the uniform of a shrine maiden. She flew upwards to face the young-looking Fallen Angel.

Issei was lost for words. He had always thought that Akeno was hot, maybe more than Rias. But seeing her like this proved him wrong. She wasn't just hot or sexy, she was _beautiful_. Breathtakingly so. This sight could only confirm that her beauty was just inhuman. A body of temptation, clad in vestments of holiness and purity, a being of sin in the house of God. An impossible sight, yet he was fortunate enough to witness it first hand.

Freed yanked him to his feet, and placed what seemed to be a sword hilt by his neck. Before he could even question it, a white blade shot out of the hilt like a lightsaber, cutting into his throat. "Don't even think about it! One wrong move and I kill him!"

Issei took stock of his surroundings. Behind him was Freed, holding a blade to his neck while aiming his pistol at the Devils. Dohnaseek was standing to his left, spears ready. On the other side of the church, was the girl named Mittelt, and over two dozen soldiers. In between them were the Devils; Kiba, Shirone, and Akeno in various combat stances. Rias alone stood relaxed with an expression which bordered on amusement. His light brown eyes met her emerald green. There was a challenge in those eyes, taunting him. _Is this really all you've got?_

The answer: No way in hell.

He closed his eyes, once turning his gaze inward. He couldn't just explode with fire, like his previous fights. In an enclosed space filled with flammable material with allies nearby, that would certainly do more harm than good. He needed _control_ , not power.

He called upon as much energy as he could, but did not let it out. He imagined a protective film wrapped around him. He filled this layer with energy, and compressed it. His temperature soared within seconds, a corona of heat enveloping his body. The floor beneath him became charred and blackened, light became distorted by the haze surrounding him. He could feel the molten slugs running down his back and dripping onto the wooden floor. But that was only the beginning.

"What the...ah, AAH!" Freed started shrieking as his arm, and even parts of his face blistered and burned from the rapid increase in temperature. "Fuck, fuck, FUCK!" Issei was thrown to the ground.

Then all hell broke loose.

* * *

Rias took it upon herself to eliminate the soldiers, not even deigning to use her **[Power of Destruction]** , merely using low-level spells. Each one was hunted down and destroyed without mercy. She surveyed her peerage as they battled the Fallen Angels, and felt confident that she was not needed here.

She stepped into the alcove behind the altar, finding a set of stone stairs leading to a deep underground room. The place was completely deserted, as all of the church's inhabitants were currently battling upstairs. Despite the depth of the cavern, occasionally the walls would tremble, causing dust to fall from the ceiling, and the sounds of battle would reach her ears.

"My, my, it seems they're having fun upstairs." she remarked casually. Inwardly, though, she was rather pleased. At first, she was worried that she would have to resort to asking Sona for assistance, but it seems her beloved peerage have proved themselves much more powerful than some low-level Fallen Angels.

She reached the bottom of the staircase to reach a grand chamber. The place was completely deserted. A stone pyramid lay in the center, on top of which was a large black cross, twice her height. Chains were strewn at its feet, and the markings inscribed on the cross were glowing faintly with multicolored light.

 _What Ajuka-sama wouldn't give to see this..._

She had never seen this device before, but she knew what it was; a Sacred Gear Extractor. It was a brand new and highly advanced technology invented by Azazel, the leader of the Grigori, himself. Ever since the world learned of their existence, other races, not just Devils, had been attempting to recreate it, with little success.

To say she was surprised would be an understatement. Sacred Gear Extractors were controlled exclusively by the Grigori. And the Governors of the Grigori, namely Azazel, Shemhazai and Barakiel, were known for their highly tactical minds. They would never allow such a valuable piece of equipment so close to a prominent Devil's territory, especially if it's only guarded by Fallen Angels with two wings.

 _Ugh, I can worry about why some other time. For now, I'll focus on how I'll get this behemoth out of here._

Blocking out the cacophony of destruction above her, Rias got to work.

* * *

Kiba rushed at the mad exorcist, Freed Sellzen. The man was clearly insane, but his state of mind did not affect his swordsmanship in the least. Even with one side of his body covered in burn marks, he used his light sword to great effect. But Kiba was undeterred. The sword that devours sacred light, **[Holy Eraser]** , formed in his hands. Light met shadow in a clash of sparks as the swordsmen became blurs around the battlefield, leaving deep gouges in the walls and pillars of the building.

The Devil and the priest locked blades, struggling to overpower the other. However, Kiba wasn't just relying on strength.

"What the..."

Freed's light sword began to flicker and dim, while Kiba's shadow sword produced numerous tendrils, which absorbed the light of his blade. "You... you have a Sacred Gear?" With a feral snarl, Freed broke the deadlock and switched to using his pistol.

He really shouldn't have done that. With Kiba's speed, Freed might as well have been throwing water balloons. Kiba barely looked at the bullets as he swatted them away with **[Holy Eraser]**. Freed raised his diminished weapon, but Kiba's dark blade cleaved through it, and continued until he tore a deep gash in his side.

Freed jumped back, spitting out blood, and muttering some more expletives. Kiba didn't let his guard down for a second. Freed's eyes flicked to the right, and before Kiba could see what it was, something large was thrown towards him. He reacted on instinct, slashing the object in two, and continued charging, but suddenly his face started stinging, then after one second, it felt like it was being melted off. He spotted what he had cut apart, a font with water spilling out.

"What's wrong, blondie? Didn't expect holy water in a fucking _church_?! Ahahaha!" He rushed at Kiba, giving him no chance to recover. His swings were wild and frenzied, but Kiba could see the skill in that blade. Before he had the advantage of speed and Freed's injury, but with the holy water's weakening effects, it was now a more level playing field. But Kiba still had one advantage.

 **[Holy Eraser]** was quickly absorbing the holy energy in the light sword, replenishing some of his strength. Freed knew this as well, and was meeting his sword less and less, opting to dodge and evade instead. Kiba was gaining ground, and it was only a matter of time until the mad exorcist made a grave mistake.

Freed was not willing to allow that though. He unleashed a feral horizontal slash that forced Kiba to retreat slightly. "Well, this has been fun, shitty Devil, but I think I'll call it a night."

"You really think I'll let you leave this place alive?" said Kiba.

"You really think you're gonna get a choice?" Freed quickly reached into a pocket and retrieved what looked to be a steel cylinder with inscriptions on its surface. He casually tossed it towards him. "Have a nice night!"

The cylinder began to glow in midair, and Kiba just knew what it was. _A light grenade!_ If that went off in here, every Devil in the church would be severely damaged. Thinking quickly, another **[Holy Eraser]** was created in his free hand. Both swords impaled the grenade, and Kiba raised the rate of absorption as high as he could.

The grenade exploded, but **[Holy Eraser]** 's dark tendrils sprang up to capture the light and siphon its energy. The explosion bulged and deformed as it tried to escape its cage of shadows, but Kiba stole every bit of light it had. In less than a second, the explosion was completely neutralised.

Kiba fell to one knee, his breathing jagged from the strain of managing so much energy at once. He kept his swords ready, but he needn't have worried. When he looked around, Freed Sellzen was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Akeno engaged the Fallen Angel Mittelt. It was clear that in terms of destructive capabilities, Akeno had the advantage. Her lightning tore right through her enemy's pink light spears, however Mittelt was agile in the air, and was able to dodge the lightning bolts by mere millimeters. The two traded blows mid flight, swooping around the pillars around the church. The blonde girl attempted to use her superior agility to get closer to Akeno, but she was determined to keep her distance and continue harassing her with long-range magic.

 _My magical energy will run too low if this continues..._

Akeno needed to ground Mittelt , or at the very impede her flight in order to get a clean hit with her spells. Making her decision, she cast five bolts of lightning in seemingly random directions, which of course, were effortlessly dodged.

"Haha! What was that? Getting dizzy from exhaustion are we?" Mittelt taunted. "I barely even had to look to dodge that one!"

"Maybe you were looking in the wrong place."

The ceiling above Mittelt exploded, cracked from Akeno's attack. The rocks plummeted down, threatening to bring the Fallen to the ground. Mittelt twisted around as fast as she could, and was able to avoid the larger stones but she could not avoid being pummeled by and flying through smaller debris. It did not help when Akeno continued to shoot magic at her. Even she dodged, the magic impacted the rocks around her, throwing her even more off balance.

Soon, it was clear Mittelt had enough. Several magic barriers appeared around her body, which not only defended her from the debris, but blasted them away at high speeds. Akeno deflected them with ease, but her barriers cracked after being hit with the three light spears behind them. The light spears weren't meant to pierce, but detonate in a flash of light, blinding her.

Mittelt used the opportunity to fly in close, her right arm raised to strike her down with her spear. But Akeno was far from helpless in close quarters. She was nowhere near as fast as Kiba, but she was still a Queen, with the traits of the Bishop, Rook and Knight. Her left hand darted out and caught Mittelt's wrist, while her right hand prepared another spell. Mittelt saw the danger, but was too late to react as high voltages coursed through her body.

"AAAH! You bitch!" Mittelt screamed and managed to summon another spear through sheer willpower. She tried to sever the arm Akeno was using to hold her, but the shrine priestess had already finished a spell to propel the Fallen Angel into the ground at bone-breaking speeds.

Akeno couldn't suppress a giggle. "Now, now, that can't be everything. You have a beautiful voice, and I would really like to hear it some more." She raised her hands, and her electricity struck Mittelt once again. It was just as strong as her previous spells, but it was in one sustained current. Below her, Mittelt screamed and writhed in agony, unable to form a coherent thought, never mind fighting back. After a while, Akeno ceased the lightning, her cheeks flushed, and she was panting heavily, but not because of exhaustion. She descended and examined the state of her enemy.

Mittelt was groaning in clear pain. the ground around her sparking and glowing. Her blonde hair was singed, her gothic dress had mostly burned away, exposing her once creamy, flawless skin which was now red, steaming, and dotted with electrocution marks. She raised her head, her blue eyes holding nothing but malice towards her. "What are you waiting for, huh?!" her voice was rough, her throat burned by the heat generated by the electric current. "Finish it!"

The raven-haires priestess smiled a gentle smile, which was a complete opposite of her eyes, which roved over Mittelt's charred, broken body. She slowly licked her lips, placing a hand on her red cheek. "Gladly." Her hand glowed once again.

"Thanks for playing with me."

* * *

Koneko, predictably, ran to her contractor. It seemed that Issei had more or less healed from being shot by Freed. The of them were quickly overpowering the Fallen Angel, who was unable to pierce Koneko's defense or overcome Issei's regeneration. Dohnaseek was on the defensive, and his chances of victory were slim to none.

Unlike their last fight, Issei was no longer acting out of fear, but anger. These Fallen Angels had been the catalyst to send his life into chaos. But there was no changing the past, he acknowledged that. That did not stop the rage from building inside him, and now he could release it. Being shot in the back was just the final straw.

It was the first time they ever fought together, but Issei and Koneko moved together perfectly, covering each other's respective weaknesses and complementing their strengths. Issei used his flames to totally nullify the holy light spears, which would be lethal to Koneko. While Koneko made up for Issei's lack of physical strength and combat experience. Furthermore, Issei was able to keep Dohnaseek grounded, allowing Koneko to utilize the full extent of her power.

Koneko, equipped with her vambraces, attacked Dohnaseek with a flurry of fists. Faced with the constant barrage of punches, Dohnaseek could not form any spears of light, and was forced to frantically evade. He couldn't even try to parry or block them, because he knew that a contest of physical power with a Rook would be suicide. But he could not keep this up indefinitely.

True enough, he messed up his timing and stumbled as he moved backwards to avoid a kick to his chest that would have knocked his lungs out. Koneko's foot still clipped his shoulder, and he was sent spinning into the air. He snapped his wings out and tried to regain his balance, but the assault didn't let up.

Three monstrous fireballs, each as tall as he was, were flying towards him. The Fallen Angel had no desire to experience those flames again. Remembering how easily his magic circles were destroyed last time, he focused all his energy into evasion. Off to the side, he could see Mittelt having her own difficulties, but he couldn't spare a single thought to help her. He moved in dizzying patterns and steep angles, not realizing that he was being controlled to a specific point. He dove straight down, and Koneko made her move.

Koneko grasped one of the many wooden pews that lined the church, and hefted it up as if it were a baseball bat. As soon as Dohnaseek was within two meters of the ground, she swung. There was an audible crack as the pew slammed against the Fallen Angel's torso. Issei wasn't sure if the sound came from the pew or from Dohnaseek's body. Koneko continued her swing, slamming her enemy into one of the stone pillars.

Issei walked over to their foe, as Koneko maintained her hold on the pew without a sign of strain. As he approached Dohnaseek, he could hear a strange sound from him. It was probably because of the situation, but it took Issei some time to identify it as laughter.

"You think you've beaten us?"

"Look around." replied Koneko. "We're all still standing, and your comrades are either dead or have you left you to die."

"Not all of them."

Those words struck a chord to Issei. He looked around the church and spotted the smoking remains of the one named Mittelt. There was a chance he could have missed her in the chaos, but neither Kiba or Akeno faced off with _her._

He glared at Dohnaseek, and grabbed the collar of his trench coat and pulled him up. The rough treatment made him cough up blood, but Issei couldn't care less. "Where the hell is she?"

"Figure it out yourself." the man gurgled and a faint blue glow seemed to come from his mouth.

 **Issei! Get away from him!** Seraphina's alarmed voice made him drop Dohnaseek immediately and leap backwards in a ready stance.

The glow intensified until the Fallen Angel's eyes and mouth were radiating light. The light spread to his chest, where the brightness reached a point where his flesh became translucent. The glow dimmed, revealing a dead, burnt out husk.

Issei could only stare in horror. "What the fuck was that?"

This time Akeno answered him. "Suicide spell. He would have rather died than surrender to Devils. I can't say I don't understand." She seemed so nonchalant about it. Sure Kiba and Koneko seemed to be doing alright, but it seems she genuinely could not care less if Dohnaseek lived or died. "More importantly, who is this _she_ you were referring to?"

"Raynare. There's no sign of her."

"Perhaps she simply fled? I wouldn't put it past them."

"No, that's not it. He wouldn't taunt me about it if she had run awa.."

 _[We were supposed to take him later at his home, when his guard was down!]_

 _No..._

A dull roar washed over all of them, sending shivers down his spine. He sprinted outside, barely noticing the others right behind him. The sun had set in the midst of their battle, and normally the moon and stars shone brightly over Kuoh, but on this night they were completely eclipsed. A collection of yellow and dark pink lights could be seen flashing in the distance. It was with growing dread did Issei recognize the area where the lights were intermittently erupting.

Around his arm, white chains flickered uncontrollably.

* * *

 **How about that? Another cliffhanger.**

 **I have to say, I toyed with the idea of killing off Freed in this chapter, but I just couldn't. Maybe it's just me, but I really like insane bad guys. Sure, the classy, James Bond style villain is nice too, but sometimes I prefer a villain that is just off the walls, bat-shit crazy. And Freed could have so much potential.**

 **On a similar note, if Akeno ever became a yandere and set her eyes on me, I would be scared shitless (No matter how hot she is! I mean it!).**

 **One more thing. A lot of you have probably already noticed something missing, or rather, someone. That's right! No Asia! Now this is not because I don't like her, 'cos she is simply precious. But I got an idea, and it doesn't work with Asia here. Our favorite nun will come, do not worry!**

 **Well, until chapter 6, I bid you goodbye!**


	6. Chapter 6: Combustion II

The First Flame

 **What's this?! Another chapter? Without a month of waiting? What could this mean?**

 **...It means I really don't want to do my homework over Hallowe'en break.**

 **The Grinning Psychopath: From my understanding, the Evil Pieces work by 'reincarnating' a target. As well as that, Evil Pieces could resurrect someone who had died recently into a Devil, like Issei or Asia were in canon. But Rossweisse and Xenovia weren't killed in battle, so that led me to thinking that the Evil Pieces work by 'killing' someone, maybe for a split second in order to bring them back to life as a Devil.**

 **LuxEterna1: Yeah, I agonized over that for a while. Is cell deterioration just another form of sickness, and if so, why can't Issei be immune to it? I did come up with a solution but it is spoilers, but that's kind of an unfair answer so I will give you a hint. [ _Most people wouldn't call aging a disease. They would simply perceive it as an integral part of nature._ ] That's all I can give you.  
Oh, and there _are_ more personas in his soul, but they don't want to overwhelm Issei. In other words I don't want to drown you guys in new characters. **

**High School DxD is not the property of MachinaExDeo.**

 **On with the show!**

 **Chapter 6: Combustion [II]**

When you encounter an unexpected danger, rational thought pretty much goes out the window. Unless you have some kind of experience to fall back on, generally you will always revert to your basic animal instincts. Namely, the dual instinct known as fight or flight. Over the past week, Issei had managed to subvert these instincts due to the collective experience of his past lives, so he was not as reliant on them as a normal person would be in the same situations.

But what would happen if the unexpected danger wasn't aimed at you?

One look at his flickering right arm told him that only two of the seven barriers around his house had been penetrated, but the wild flickering also meant that they were under immense pressure, but would still hold strong for a fair amount of time. If he reacted excessively to this, there is a good chance the Devils would realize that the 'fake family' he was with was reality, and therefore expose them to future dangers. What he should do was react calmly, and show no weakness in front of these Devils.

He _knew_ that. He _understood_ that.

But no amount of logic can override the fact that his family was in danger. His home was under attack. The Fallen Angels were threatening his life once again, except now they were after the ones he loved.

Without any regard to the Devils behind him, he started sprinting. He traced the path that he had memorized when Freed led him to the church. He wasn't the fastest runner out there, but now he pushed his muscles past their limits. His feet continuously pounded the ground, even as he felt his muscles tear themselves apart, only to heal in a repeating cycle. But he still wasn't fast enough. In his mind, the patterns on his arm which represented the only fortification his family had were already fading away. In his mind, Raynare had a light spear poised over his mothe-

 **STOP THAT!** Ulrich bellowed in his mind. **You aren't doing anyone any favors thinking like that and I won't allow it!**

 _But-_

 **Shut the hell up! Focus on what's real, not what might be! What's real is your mission to rescue your family! And to do that you need to focus on your mission; eliminate all threats to the survival of the Hyoudou household! And I will not let you enter a combat scenario while you're drowning in 'what ifs'. Do you understand?!**

 _...I-I-_

 **I asked you a fucking question!**

 _Yes, sir!_

 **Then start using this walnut you call a brain! You haven't failed until the last chain on your arm has faded, so quit acting like it!**

 _YESSIR!_

Issei nearly punched himself. What was he thinking? His mother wasn't dead, and neither was his father. The wards would persist until he got there. As well as that. the wards don't just keep threats out, it also keeps its charges in during times of duress. They were safer than gold in Fort Knox, and they were going to stay that way.

Issei stomped another foot down, but it never reached the ground. At the same time, he felt something hook under his arms. He nearly screamed in surprise, but a familiar, gentle voice reached his ears. "Relax, Issei."

"S-Shi-"

"It's Koneko right now." she corrected. "We're here to help."

"We?" That's when he noticed Akeno flying to their left, a frown replacing her normally serene expression.

"Rias-buchou and Kiba-senpai stayed behind to secure the church. We'll help you with the rest of the Fallen Angels. Don't argue. This is faster." he really didn't want to argue, because it was faster. At this rate they would get to his house in a couple of minutes. But that wasn't what he wanted to say.

"Why?"

"Why not?"

Before Issei could even comment on that simple, obvious response, they had reached the airspace above the Hyoudou residence. Up close, Issei could see the extent of the damage to his barriers. The first five layers had been completely shattered, while the sixth was still standing, but irreparably damaged. As Issei surveyed below, he spotted two pairs of light spears accompanied by black wings, one a sickly yellow, and the other dark pink, just before they hurtled towards the house and exploding, piercing the sixth level of protection.

In the glow of the explosion he spotted them.

There was a buxom, blue haired woman wearing a tight violet coat which was opened to reveal much of her breasts, and matching miniskirt. She had a sadistic smile on her face as she spotted the three of them approaching, even as she prepared another golden spear. But that wasn't who interested Issei.

There was no trace of the cute, shy schoolgirl anymore. She had changed into a more mature-looking form. Her eyes were sharper, taking on a darker, more evil appearance. Her clothing, if it could even be called that, consisted of black leather straps around and under her breasts, a black thong around her hips, and black thigh-high heel boots.

A week ago, that kind of outfit on such a voluptuous woman, would stir up extreme feelings of lust and amazement. Right now, all he could feel was hate. Hate for the woman who seduced him. Hate for the woman who killed him. Hate for the woman who started this whole mess. Hate for the woman who was trying to destroy his entire life. Hate which was orders of magnitude above anything he had ever felt before.

And now he was going to let it out.

After making sure that Shirone's hands would not be in the way, he ignited his forearms and created a fireball big enough to swallow them both, before launching it at the two Fallen Angels. The white flame burned brighter than a shooting star, and traveled just as fast, but Raynare and her companion had already seen it coming, and was already dodging it.

Too bad for them, Issei knew they would do that.

The fireball shattered into dozens of pieces, turning the shooting star into a meteor shower. At any given time, four of these meteors were directly assaulting each of them, with more directly behind. The looping patterns and highly irregular twists of these incendiaries caught them completely off guard. The two Fallen Angels may be agile fliers, but they were quickly overwhelmed by the speed and maneuverability of Issei's attacks.

The power of Issei's attacks was limited only by his will, and he had no shortage of that at the moment. But the complexity of these attacks were restricted by his own mental capacity and imagination. Normally this level of control would be beyond Issei. But despite popular opinion, Issei was not stupid. And right now his mind was focused on a singular objective.

Three streams of fire collided with Raynare's back and legs, and an equal number caught her comrade in her left wing. The two of them went down, frantically flapping their wings to regain stability. They crashed into the ground, at which point, the remaining missiles mercilessly attacked them, resulting in a blinding explosion. Issei craned his neck to speak to Shirone. "You can let me down now."

Shirone swooped down, before releasing him, letting him land easily, with her and Akeno right behind him. The priestess appeared impressed, and gave him an appreciative glance. "Very well done, Issei-kun. You were holding out on us back in that church." she accused him in a playful tone.

"If I made an explosion like that in the church, I could've brought the whole building down. I shouldn't have even done it now. That'll definitely attra-"

"Relax. While you were committing arson, I scanned the surroundings and found that several noise-cancelling and repelling wards had been erected. Of course I added my own for good measure, but no ordinary person will find their way in here."

"Thank you. Akeno-senpai, Sh-Koneko-chan. Can I ask you to guard my home, and let me fight these two on my own?"

"What?" Oddly enough, it was Shirone who protested. "No, too dangerous."

"Sure!" Akeno said cheerfully.

"Senpai!"

"Now, now Koneko-chan. Don't be selfish. This is his fight after all. Don't worry, Issei-kun, we'll stay out of your way." A groan caught their attention. "And besides, it seems you wouldn't have to deal with two of them after all. Even for Fallen Angels, that is simply despicable."

Issei was about to ask what he meant when the smoke from the explosion. He hadn't maintained the flames after the explosion, so he supposed they could survive if they conjured up magic circles for defense. But what he saw churned his stomach.

The blue haired woman was undoubtedly dead. Her eyes were wide open, but there wasn't a hint of life in them. Smoke curled around her charred, blackened body. The force of the explosion had broken her limbs, to the point where they looked like they were about fall off. Her raven black wings were a mess of feathers grafted onto bone. If such a pitiful sight was sickening, what lay behind her was horrifying.

Raynare had crouched into a small ball, her wings hidden. She was in much better shape than the other ones, only a few superficial burns from the looks of things. She looked around to confirm the explosion was over before dissipating the light spears she was holding onto. The light spears which were previously embedded into the other Fallen Angel's back.

The spears she used to pull her comrade in front of her.

"H-how could..." the words were caught in his throat. He held no love for Fallen Angels, and would never be an advocate for their civil rights. But to see someone so callously stab their fellow soldier in the back, for their own protection was just...

Raynare had heard his strangled words. "How could I? Is that what you were gonna say brat?!" She let out a throaty laugh as she climbed to her feet. "You humans are all the same, acting all high and mighty, when in the end you'd sell out your own kind just as quickly. Look at you, you're no different! Collaborating with greedy, soul-sucking Devils who'll stab you in the back the moment you expose it to them!

"At least we're honest about it! You can bet that Kalawarner would have done it herself, I was just faster. At least she died in service to our mission from Azazel-sama, a wondrous honor! Something you would never understand! So don't you dare condemn me with those eyes, you bastard!" she finished her rant with a harsh scream, before collapsing into painful hacking coughs.

"Issei-kun? Please keep in mind, that if you don't manage kill her, I would be more than happy to finish the job." Akeno's voice had gone cold.

Issei didn't have the time to argue, because Raynare had begun her assault. She flared her wings, and with that conjured nine light spears, one in each hand, and seven floating above her. With a bestial roar, she flew towards him, the spears right behind her.

He raised a hand, and a pillar of flame rocketed to meet Raynare's charge, but she didn't change direction nor did she even slow down. The seven holy lances converged in front of her and started spinning like drill, in what he could only assume to be an attempt to redirect his flames and create an opening to him. But she was only partially successful. She managed to disperse some of the flames, but they continued to roar around her and burn the tips of her wings and her lower legs. Yet she still continued her charge. She was less than three meters away when Issei ceased the flames, and Raynare was poised to strike.

Instead of a ranged attack, Issei coated his body in fire once again to try and catch her off guard in close quarters combat. His eyes tracked the movements of those spears, and he knew what he would do. The moment she struck, he would grab a hold of her, just like he did in his first altercation with Dohnaseek, and then set her ablaze.

But that didn't happen. Raynare struck, yes, but not with a spear. She discarded the one in her left hand, and used that hand to grasp his shoulder, paying no heed to the searing fire that jumped onto her gloved hand. Issei couldn't react fast enough to such a risky, and suicidal tactic, so Raynare was able to pull him in close, and drive her remaining spear into his chest, straight into his heart.

The pain snapped Issei back to reality, but Raynare had already made her next move. More light spears were summoned above and around him, and they moved just as quickly as they appeared. He was pierced from a dozen different directions, his neck, his arms, his torso his legs, his entire body was riddled with armaments of light.

This time, he was conscious enough to force Raynare away with a constant barrage of fire. It seems Raynare didn't wholly wish to be consumed in the white blaze, and leapt away from him, giving Issei time to start burning away the light spears and formulate his next move.

 _Why? Why is she fighting so recklessly? She has to know that she can't beat me just by stabbing me again and again. She knows that a battle of attrition against me would be unwinnable! What is she planning?_

Within seconds, he had purged every light spear from his body, and he looked over to his opponent wondering why she wasn't taking advantage of this opening. She was in considerably bad shape, breathing heavily, the edges of her wings charred. Her black gloves had been cast away, and the skin underneath was red and steaming. _She's exhausted. That last attack probably took a lot out of her._ Forming multiple spears remotely had to use up a lot of energy. Energy which she could and should have used more wisely.

"What's wrong, brat?" her voice was barely audible. "Getting tired? Or are so much of a weakling that you can't even finish what you started?" She raised her head, giving him a truly evil smirk. "Or could it be that the sight of your poor, broken little girlfriend is too much for you to handle?"

In that instant, Raynare's form shifted. Her body regressed into the body of a teenager, her clothes morphing into a black dress and light purple jacket. Issei recognized the appearance instantly. How could he not?

She wore it to their first date.

"Ise-kun? What's wrong? Don't you want to have fun with me any more? I thought you liked me?" Her eyes, her deceptively disgustingly, kind eyes seemed to tear up at those words, before perking up with hope. "Or is it you're just nervous? I can understand that. I mean, I'm about to meet your parents, after all. Don't worry, I'm sure We'll both be able to enjoy each other's company!"

That was as far as she got before a wall of fire enveloped the two of them, extending up into the sky. Issei's hands were clenched so tightly his nails dug painfully into his palms. Off to the side, he could hear Shirone and Akeno call out to him, but the barrier of roaring flame drowned them out. Within this space, there was only him and Raynare.

"Heh. Finally decided to man up, huh? I was getting kinda b-"

"Shut the hell up."

A white whip coiled around Raynare's arm and yanked her forwards into the ground. More white coils sprang from the walls, grabbing each of Raynare's limbs her wings, and one tightened around her neck. He manipulated the cords so that Raynare was on her knees, leaning backwards, her arms outstretched. She was rendered completely immobile.

 **Issei, I beg you. Think clearly about what you are about to do.** Seraphina whispered. **You don't want a decision like this to made in anger.**

 _I'm way past anger now, Sera. They'll never leave me be. I have to do this._

 **This is your life, Issei. This is your decision, but do not make it in haste. You are stronger than her, stronger than this.**

Issei heard Seraphina's words loud and clear. But he just kept this eyes locked onto Raynare's. Looking into her violet eyes, filled with absolute hatred, and not a trace of fear for her life, he saw what lay underneath, and he understood. He knew why she was so thoughtless in her assaults, why she charged in with little regard to her own well-being, so long as she managed to attack him.

She had no other choice. Issei, and the Devils had captured their base, and had killed her comrades. She had been forced to sacrifice her own companion. She had little doubt that she was the only one in her team still standing. All she had was their mission, but she knew that she had no hope in succeeding with the odds so severely stacked against her. The only possibilities left to her, was death or capture.

Obviously, she didn't even see the latter as an option.

He raised his glowing, trembling hand and placed it on her chest, right on top of her heart. He could feel her heartbeat, which was elevated to dangerous levels, or maybe he was hearing his own heart reacting to what he was about to do. He gathered energy in his hand, condensing it, but not yet releasing it.

Could he do this? He himself was the representation of life, born from humanity's desire to survive. Over the past week he had come to appreciate the value of that. So could he really take that away from somebody?

Well, it seemed Raynare was determined to make the decision for him. She screamed at the top of her lungs, straining against the cords, not caring that she might her own hands off. One final light spear formed above her head, pointing down at them. The spear descended.

In the future, Issei would never be able to tell who the spear was aimed at.

In that instant he reacted. A bullet of white fire was expelled from his palm. The compressed fireball tore through Raynare's chest. The spear dispersed into particles of light, which scattered over them. Issei released the binds on her body, letting her fall on her back. There was no blood, for his fireball seared the wound even as it tore through her body. He didn't know if that made it better or worse.

"Nice shot. Straight through the heart." she croaked. She had a few minutes before her brain shuts down completely from oxygen deprivation. A normal human brain would have passed out immediately, but a combination of the Fallen Angel's enhanced physique, and Raynare's determination to remain conscious overrode that reflex. She was obviously in pain, a hole was ripped through her, but she just kept smiling.

"Was this really the only way?"

"Looks like you're still a naive brat. It was the only way for me. This is how it always has been and always will be for the Three Factions. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, kid, and now that you've killed me, it's too late to get out. Can't run anymore, hehehe-" She started coughing, spewing up blood down her chin, and wincing in pain, but she just kept smiling.

"'ll give you this much. Don't trust them. Any of them. Not us, or the Devils, or even the fucking Angels. 'Cause believe me, once they hear about this, they'll be looking to get rid of you as soon as possible."

"They're not the ones who've tried to kill me. Twice."

"Give it time, you'll get there." She gazed forlornly at her wings, which were burning slowly, her black feathers fading into white ash. "Damn it. I always liked these wings. Thought they looked better than those stuck-up pricks in white." She tried to hand to stroke them, only to have her arm fall onto her chest.

"Shit. I guess I can think of worse ways to go. Hey kid," With great effort, she leaned forwards, so her violet, bloodshot eyes met his. "If it's any consolation, it was actually kinda fun." Her head fell back, her eyes closed.

But she just kept smiling.

Issei didn't know how long he stood there. He didn't even realize that he had let down the wall of flames, but he must have since Shirone was standing beside him.

"First time?" There was no need to ask what she meant by that.

"Yeah."

"You okay?"

"... I'm not sure."

The two of them stood there, quietly watching the dying flames, and scorched feathers swirling through the night sky.

For the first time since his resurrection, his mind was totally silent.

* * *

"Yes, Onii-sama. I have properly prepared the Extractor. All that is left is for Beelzebub-sama to activate the transportation circles in laboratory."

{Well done, Rias.} The miniature holographic image of Sirzechs Lucifer, one of the four Great Satans, smiled to his younger sister, who beamed with pride. When her brother was running around screaming for his little 'Ria-tan', she couldn't think of anything more embarrassing. But when he was in his 'Great Satan' mode, his serious praise truly trumped any of his inane babbling.

{Now, I understand that there was a magician involved.}

Urk. She was not looking forward to this. "Yes, that is correct, Onii-sama. His name is Issei Hyoudou. He is a stude-"

{I've read the report, Rias.} It was worse than she thought. He didn't quite snap at her, but he still interrupted her. {I read that you initially wanted to recruit him into your peerage, but upon discovering that he was a magician, decided to have Toujou-san contract with him instead. Two days after this revelation.}

"He had proven to be a capable magician, and I saw no reason to doubt his intentions."

{Uh huh. Tell me, how many times did Toujou-san say 'sorry' before you folded?}

"...Shut up."

Sirzechs simply chuckled. {Don't worry, Rias. I'm not angry, but I am slightly confused. I was under the impression that Toujou-san still had trouble opening up to you. So why has she forged such a bond with this, Issei Hyoudou, in such a short time frame?}

"I'm still trying to figure that out. Koneko-chan claims that she doesn't know the answer herself, which could be true, but I still think she is hiding something."

Her brother sighed. {You give your servants too much leeway, Rias. But more on that later. You said this magician was capable?}

"Yes. He defeated Kiba. Quite easily in fact, he didn't receive a single injury. His magic is... unlike anything I've ever seen before."

{And yet he claims to be unaffiliated with any known magic association...}

"Yes. I have sent an inquiry to **Grauzauberer** , and **Golden Dawn** , but I am unsure as to how to proceed with regards to other magic associations."

 **Grauzauberer** was a magic association under the command of Mephisto Pheles, the legendary Devil who formed a pact with Georg Faust. Despite being an Extra Devil, Mephisto Pheles was known for his frequent contact with the outside world, and the Gremory clan often conducted deals with **Grauzauberer** , so they were a good place to start.

 **Golden Dawn** , also known as **The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn** , was co-founded by Sirzechs' Bishop, MacGregor Mathers. He was like an uncle to Rias, so he would definitely take her request seriously.

{I wouldn't bother contacting other. If Pheles and Mathers has no clue to the identity of such a skilled magician, I find it hard to believe the others will either. Furthermore, even if they did now, they would hardly go around spilling secrets about their assets, would they?}

"I suppose not."

{...Change of plans. I find myself quite fascinated by this magician. I would like to know more about him.}

"...Wait a minute, you're not going to-"

{What? No, no, no, as much as I'd love to visit you right now, Grayfia would kill me if I left so abruptly. I was thinking of sending Mathers over to meet him.}

"You don't have to do that. I'm sure he's much too busy to deal with something so trivial."

{Don't worry, I'm sure he'd like to do it. he's always trying to witness new and exciting forms of magic. And he can perform an on-site inspection of the Sacred Gear Extractor before Ajuka brings it to his Lab. Anyway, once he finds out about Hyoudou-san's capabilities, I'm sure he would come running. Expect him in a week or so. In the meantime, maintain your distance, well as much as Toujou-san will allow you.}

"Of course, Onii-sama."

{Well, I'd better be off. It was nice talking to you again. Ria-tan!}

The holographic image fizzled out before she could protest at that stupid nickname. Rias couldn't help but sigh and pinch the bridge of her nose. Here she thought she could have one completely serious conversation with her brother.

Still, it was clear her brother was hiding something from her. Even if Mathers that curious about Issei's magic, it wouldn't warrant him coming all the way here. He must know something else about Issei, something potentially dangerous that he would send his own peerage member.

"Well, well. It looks like for an interesting few weeks ahead of us, eh, Issei?"

* * *

 **So what do we do, now?**

 **The same thing you did for me when I suffered through this after the war. We support him, advise him. Assure him that this does not make him any less of a man.**

 **I fear it may not be enough. Issei may be oblivious to emotions and puts up an idiotic front, but that does not make him any less vulnerable to his own. He truly felt something for Raynare when she was under the guise of Yuuma Amano. The act of killing her, no matter how justified will affect him negatively.**

 **He cannot afford to show weakness. This incident will cast ripples throughout the supernatural world. Remember that our primary mandate is the safety of his loved ones. He can better achieve that if he displays considerable fortitude. And, I might add, that will become more difficult if Shirone pursues a closer relationship with him.**

 **All the more reason to pull him out of the darkness as fast as possible.**

 **What do you propose?**

 **I think it's time for some more introductions.**

* * *

Throughout Earth, across dozens of different worlds, even the world between worlds, several beings felt a shift in energy.

One in particular, smiled and looked up at Earth's night sky. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Perhaps it is time for a visit."

"Little brother."

* * *

 **XXX[Author's Note]XXX**

 **So that's the end of the Fallen Angel Arc. A bit more angsty than I had intended, but I don't think I can understate the gravity of what happened. I thought the anime and the light novels didn't do a real good job of showing the consequences of Raynare's betrayal, so I thought I'd give it a shot.**

 **To be honest, I don't like being too serious, but I don't think I can afford to be anything but. Don't worry! I'll keep the angsty bullshit to a minimum. Having a drill sergeant in your head could really help with that.**

 **Until next time, ladies and gentlemen!**


	7. Chapter 7: Burnout

The First Flame

 **It is -4 degrees centigrade, my fingers are frozen, yet for some reason I am still typing. Be grateful, you bastards!**

 **High School DxD does not belong to me in any way, shape or form.**

 **Chapter 7: Burnout**

 _"We sure had a lot of fun today, didn't we?"_

 _"Yeah, we- ah!" Issei's reply was strangled as he turned to Yuuma._

 _"Issei-kun? What's wrong?" She was the perfect picture of innocence, he hands clasped in front of her as her stunning purple eyes gazed at him with nothing but kindness and concern. Yuuma Amano looked like a beautiful teenage girl. He felt his heart flutter, but the feeling was completely overshadowed by shock and horror._

 _The smell hit him first, the smell of burning flesh. He noted with a sickening thought that it smells just like beef being prepared for stir-fry. In the middle of her chest, was a gaping hole the size of a fist. And yet she acted as if nothing was wrong, her head tilted in what should have been an adorable way as she tried to figure out what was distressing him. "Are you sick?"_

 _He couldn't say anything. His legs were shaking in terror and he couldn't help but fall on his behind, his hands holding him up. He felt the crunch of what felt like dry leaves underneath him as he frantically scrambled away, but he soon bumped into something._

 _"Oh! Hi, there, Kala-chan!"_

 _He knew he shouldn't turn around, but the inexplicable and unstoppable force of curiosity compelled him to turn his head. Kalawarner was lying there completely motionless, her hair and her black wings splayed out beneath her._

 _She looked like she could have been sleeping, and Issei might have been able to convince himself that she was just asleep. If only it he didn't figure out what the 'dry leaves' were._

 _The black feathers withered into white ashes as they burned beneath him. The flames spread across the ground, until they reached Kalawarner's wings. Issei reached out, trying to put out the flames, but they only grew in size until the Fallen Angel was lying on a wreath of flames. Issei could only watch as she was consumed by the white flames, reducing her beautiful body to ashes._

 _She didn't make a sound._

 _"What's wrong, Issei-kun? Oh, are you worried about Kala-chan? Don't worry about it, she didn't get hurt! She was already dead!"_

 _The flames shifted to a sickening, dark red hue, until it looked like thick, shifting blood. The crimson flames expanded a thousand fold, enveloping the two of them. He didn't burn, but he felt like he was drowning in the sea of disgusting fires. He felt like scratching away his own skin just to fend off his own revulsion. He tried to summon his own flames, but he was absolutely powerless._

 _Despite the apparent opacity of the flames, he could still see Yuuma floating in front of him. She moved towards him, bringing the scent of burning flesh with her. She reached out to him, tenderly cupping his face in her hands. She brought herself nearer, until there was less than a millimeter between them, and she moved her lips close as if to kiss him. "Hey, Issei?"_

 _"Did you have fun?"_

* * *

 **"Issei, we need to talk."**

Issei blinked himself awake, before groaning and sitting up. "About wha-" He stopped himself upon noticing something strange. He rubbed his eyes, but Seraphina was still standing at the foot of his bed, no longer naked, but wearing a simple, sleeveless brown robe that flowed to her knees. He surveyed the room, and observed a faint, hazy quality to his surroundings. He sighed. "I'm not really awake, am I?"

 **"How astute of you. Indeed, this is your soulscape. I pulled you in here before your nightmare could go any further."**

"Umm... thanks? I guess... uhh... What did you want to talk about?" A stupid question, he knew what she wanted to talk about. He just didn't want to deal with it.

 **"About what happened yesterday."**

Issei couldn't hold back a wince. Not that he could ever hide anything from Seraphina anyway. "I'm fine." he said feebly.

Seraphina seemed to have expected that answer. She sat down next to him and took his hand in both of hers. **"Issei, please. Less than eight hours ago, you were forced to take a life. Yes, she was an enemy, and yes it was justified, but don't pretend that it didn't affect you."**

"This isn't the tim-"

 **"Then when is the time?"** she interjected. **"This is not something you should push away. You must confront this and resolve it."**

"Resolve it?" Issei raised his head to meet her gaze. "Reso- Sera, I killed someone. That is all. Let's move on. I already know that I can't show weakness here."

 **"To the Devils, yes, but not to us! You need not put up a front with me!"** Issei tried to look away from her, but she grabbed his chin and forced him to meet his eyes. **"It is not cruelty to feel relief at the continued safety of your family. It is not weakness to feel sorrrow for the loss of life. The mere fact that you feel sadness is proof that you have maintained your humanity."**

"Then why does it feel like I'm the one who lost something?"

 **"Because you have."** Issei looked at her in shock, but she pressed a finger to his lips to silence him. **"Don't speak right now. Issei, I may be the eldest spirit here, but I am not the wisest. I believe there is someone you need to talk to."**

As if on cue, there was a knock on his bedroom door. **"Please come in."** The door opened to reveal an old man in a brown robe. **"It's good to see you again, Avi."**

 **"Hello again, Seraphina."** The man turned to Issei, and bowed at the waist. **"And you, young man, must be Issei. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Avi."**

It took a moment for Issei to remember his manners, and he surged to his feet and returned the bow. "Hello, Avi-san. It is good to meet you as well." He rose from his bow and sent a questioning look to Sera, but she only smiled gently.

She stood up and embraced him, and kissed him softly on his forehead. **"Be well, Issei. Listen to him, please. For your sake."** She walked out of the room, closing the door behind her, leaving him in the room with Avi.

The two of them stood there in silence, until Issei couldn't take it anymore.

"So, uh, Avi-san? What did you want to talk to me about?"

The man smiled gently before answering **"Please, just Avi will do. There is absolutely no need for any kind of formality between us."** He gestured with his hand, prompting both of them to sit. Deciding to forgo the bed, the two of them sat cross-legged on the floor. Avi waved his hand, and seemingly pulled a teapot out of nowhere. "Tea?"

"How did you do that?"

 **"It seems you still do not understand the concept of this place, Issei. This place is completely immaterial. It is located in your soul, and strengthened by your will, but it is shaped by your mind. As of now, you are the dominant force, but you allow us spirits freedom. This teapot came into existence in here, because I declared it to be."**

Issei took a moment to think about that, and closed his eyes for a brief moment. When he opened his eyes, two teacups were in his hands.

 **"Very good."** Avi nodded approvingly. He poured the both of them tea, which they drank in satisfaction. **"Now, Seraphina asked me to talk to you, and after a cursory scan of your recent memory, I can see why."**

Issei winced. "Okay, look. I know that what happened was big, and I get it. But it's not as if I'm ignoring it, alright! But I'm in deep enough trouble as it is, I can't afford a mental breakdown."

 **"So you do indeed feel remorse for your actions?"**

"What the hell kind of question is that?! Of course I do!"

 **"Why?"**

Issei was taken aback. "Wh-what do you me- "

 **"She was an enemy. She threatened your family. She was the one that killed you, was she not? You acknowledged the fact that she was the lynchpin that set all of these events in motion. It was a battlefield, a situation of kill or be killed. And yet you are guilty. Why?"**

"Because she was hu-" Issei stopped himself. That wasn't right. _Because she was human,_ was what he almost said. But she wasn't even that, was she? He wasn't even sure that there was a shred of humanity in the woman who used her own comrade as a shield.

 **"Your field of vision is too narrow, Issei. Raynare-"** Issei couldn't help but flinch once Avi said her name. **"-was not human. Never was, never would have been. So ask yourself this? What is it that you are really mourning?"**

"Mourning? Why would I be mourning, she wasn't close to me?"

 **"Stop fooling yourself."** Avi never raised his voice, and yet his tone felt like ice. **"You have lost something, Issei. Something that can never be replaced, and until you learn how to grieve properly, it will continue to haunt you."**

Issei couldn't say anything, merely sitting there, clutching his empty teacup. The old monk was right; he had lost something. He couldn't fool him, much less himself by claiming that he didn't know. But it was just something too painful to admit to. "… I… I mean, I think I could have…"

 **"Did you love her?"**

Issei considered it. He thought about his answer hard, before coming to a conclusion. "No. No, I didn't love her. It definitely wasn't that strong." His voice dropped to a whisper. "But I think… if I had time, I really could have fallen for her."

 **"And therein lies the problem."**

"Huh?"

 **"Issei, believe it or not, I think you are a remarkable young man. You can be lazy, you can be a coward, and you are indeed a pervert. But there is a certain quality to you that is admirable. There is a certain… idealism in you. You know that Raynare was an enemy, she was evil. Perhaps irredeemably so. And yet you can't help but imagine and yearn for what could have been."**

"Isn't that just me being naïve?" he snorted.

 **"No, not at all. Innocent, maybe. But naïve, no."**

"So what you're telling me is that, I've lost this innocence? That's why I should grieve?"

 **"I'm telling you the exact opposite. It is because of this innocence that you mourn the death of this woman, despite of her sins against you. You feel guilt because you have taken a life, you have ended any opportunity for that future you envisioned, and illogically believe that deep down, that makes you no better, perhaps even worse than Raynare."**

Issei gritted his teeth and slammed down his cup. "Just because you tell me it's illogical, doesn't make it go away."

 **"True. All humans are subject to bouts of irrationality, myself included. But you misunderstand. I'm not telling you to make it all go away."**

"Isn't that why we're here? To stop me from going off the deep end?"

 **"I wouldn't put it so crudely, but yes. But that isn't something you do by pushing everything away."** Avi picked up the teapot. **"Remember what I said about this place? In here, reality is what you perceive it to be. The tea tastes like it does, because it is how I remember it. We stay on the ground because we are accustomed to gravity keeping us there. Likewise, this guilt and pain exists in your very soul because you feel you deserve it."**

 **I am not telling you to make your problems go away, nor am I telling you to discard this innocence. There are those who will see it as a crippling weakness, especially considering who you are associated with. But it is essential to preserving the humanity you desperately wish to keep."**

"Then what am I meant to do now? You just said I shouldn't get rid of it."

 **"I think the answer should be obvious, Issei. So long as you continue to have this innocence, killing will never get easier. So you don't try to make it easier."** Avi shuffled to his feet, his old age seemingly having no effect on his mobility. He dusted off his robe and started making for the door. **"I believe I have said everything I wanted to say. Farewell, young man. You will see me again. Soon, I believe, and we will continue this talk. I hope by then you have found the answer."**

* * *

Issei was not having a good morning.

When he was in his soulscape, he could control how much time passes inside, so he could spend hours in there and only a few minutes would go by in the real world. But the mental strain would take its toll as well. And Avi certainly didn't pull any verbal punches.

And it still wasn't enough. Avi had departed and had gone silent as soon as he had left, eliminating the chance to ask more questions. He wondered if this was what psychiatric patients felt like when their therapists only give them fifty minutes for a one-hour session.

He moved sluggishly, completing his morning routine before stumbling downstairs in his disheveled uniform for breakfast. He plopped down into his seat and inhaled the scent of the breakfast in front of him. Eggs, sunny side up, with bacon and toast. His mother had been cooking a lot of Western dishes these days. "Thanks for the meal." he mumbled, before digging in.

"Well, look what fell out of bed this morning." his father said dryly, not even looking up from his newspaper.

"Leave me alone." he grumbled as he shoved more bacon in his mouth. He preferred Japanese food, but damn, this bacon was good. "Can I have seconds?."

"Here you go. What happened to you last night? I don't remember you coming in." His mother asked, as she heaped more food on his plate. "Come to think of it, you didn't come back with the groceries either."

"I got caught up in something with Motohama." Looks like Akeno's memory modification spell had been effective. He was rather wary of letting her cast it on his parents, but he really had no choice. Once the battle was over, they had been understandably terrified, and he was nowhere near ready to explain everything. So he'd played it cool and pretended that he was incapable of such complex magic, and he'd rather not have to relocate at this time, so he asked Akeno to do it instead.

"Well, be careful. You've been staying out late pretty often, it's dangerous."

"I can take care of myself."

"Sure, why not. Would you like some more, sweetie?"

"Yes, please."

Hmm? That's weird. His mother never called his father 'sweetie'. It was always 'dear' or 'darling'. Maybe she was trying something new?

"Pass the butter, please."

Issei wordlessly complied, handing the saucer of butter with his left hand, and continued eating.

Hang on. Something's wrong. He looked up from his meal, and his father was sitting there, reading the newspaper. _In front_ of him. His plate was empty. So why did he have to pass the butter? To his _left_?

Like a rusted puppet, his head rotated to look at the seat next to him. It should have been empty, it has always been empty for the past seventeen years for every meal he ate at that table.

Koneko Toujou, also known as Shirone, stopped chewing on her bacon to flick her hazel eyes towards him. "Good morning, senpai."

A million neural synapses later...

"What the hell are you doing here?!"

 **I was wondering when you would finally notice.** Ulrich remarked amusedly

 **[BONK]**

"That's no way to talk to someone, especially this sweet, adorable girl who came just to walk to school with you!" His mother growled fiercely after locking him over the head with a spatula.

He had a million questions right now, and he was about to launch into a complete tirade, but then he caught Shirone's gaze. _Later._

So the choice was say nothing and suffer through an awkward morning answering impossible questions from his parents, or make a fuss and suffer through an awkward morning answering impossible questions from his parents. He didn't even had the option of kicking her out because his parents were absolute suckers for a cute face.

 **Like you're one to talk.**

 _It's way too early for this shit._

He settled for shutting up and eating his eggs. Looks like he never even had a shot of having peace and quiet this morning. Fortunately, he made the right choice, as it seems his parents were attempting to sell him to Shirone, in the hopes that their 'worthless pervert of a son' had finally gotten a respectable girlfriend.

A tug on his sleeve caught his attention. "Senpai, we should get going."

He glanced at the clock. "Ah, crap." he shoveled the rest of his food into his mouth. "Thanks for the food. I'll see you later. Let's go Sh- Koneko-chan."

He grabbed his schoolbag and bolted out of the house, Shirone right behind him. jumped on his bicycle before noticing a fatal flaw. "Umm..."

"It's fine." Shirone climbed onto the seat behind him, sitting with her legs hanging to the side, and her arms wrapped around his waist and her head resting on his back. "Let's go."

"Guh..." His face became flushed as he tried to ignore how warm she was. _Just pedal, pedal the damn bicycle._ To be honest, he barely even noticed the weight. Sure she was... petite, but she was like a feather. Which was strange because he had seen her herculean strength last night. He remembered how she barely hit Dohnaseek with her leg but still sent him fifteen feet in the air. Her long, luscious-

 _NO, nononono, NO! Stop it! Forget the legs! Your love is boobs! Wonderful, volupruous tits! Just focus on what you need to ask her. Ignore everything else. Ignore where her hands are at the moment and how tightly they're holding on to you. Stop!_

 **...Issei, we're disowning you.**

"So, are you ever gonna tell me what you were doing in my house? How did you even get past the wards?" Sure there was only one ward left since he hadn't had the chance to rebuild them, but he would have definitely noticed if it had been broken, even in his sleep.

"Wards didn't stop me, your parents let me in."

Well, that's one mystery solved. The wards repelled anybody that carried malicious intent for the people inside it. If the wards didn't deter her at all, it means she meant no harm. "And the other question?"

"I was hungry."

Issei nearly crashed into telephone pole.

 **Well, she's certainly... quite the go-getter.**

"You came to my house, of someone you barely know... because you wanted breakfast?" At this point, it didn't even sound like a question anymore. More like, a statement made to acknowledge the fact he was on a losing battle. She was obviously not going to disclose anymore information, and he knew he really had no method to extract it from her. And it seems Shirone knew it too

"Oh fine, do what you want." He saw the looming figure of the prestigious Kuoh Academy up ahead, and groaned. He knew what came next, and it would not end well for him.

"What is that perverted creep doing with Koneko-chan?!"

"That bastard... how dare he have Koneko-chan wrapped around him like that?!"

 _Here we go._ He ignored the shouts and screams of rage and indignation, and continued pedalling to the bicycle shed. Shirone nimbly jumped off the seat, and patted down her skirt. "Lunch-"

"On the roof, I remember. Don't worry, I'll be there." He reassured her. He didn't think she was actually worried he would forget, but he felt the need to confirm. She nodded once, and walked off.

He sighed, and knelt down to chain up his bike. He had been way too stressed out these days. He needed to relax, wind down. But he still had to settle things with Avi before he could let himself go completely.

A shadow passed over him, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Without even thinking, he whirled around and his arms moved upwards, his hands above his head, just in time to catch two descending feet aimed at his head. He pushed his hands forwards, sending his attackers sprawling onto their backs. Only then did he get a good look at them.

 **Not bad. Your instincts have certainly sharpened significantly.** Ulrich remarked.

"What do you idiots thnk you're doing?!" The 'Sexual Harrassment Paparazzi' and the 'Perverted Glasses' were rubbing their behinds, as they attempted to regain their bearings. But it seems the fall was insubstantial, as they were back on their feet instantly.

"Like you don't already know why, YA BASTARD!" They screamed in his face. Spittle flew into his face, which he could only wipe away in disgust. "How could you betray us like this?!"

Ah, now, he understood. Despite being one of the most high-class schools in Japan, Kuoh was just like any high school in that rumors travelled faster than light within its walls. Given how many students had seen him ride in with Shirone, and factoring in the fact that she had publicly asked him to have lunch with her several days ago, and you get a very misleading image.

Matsuda, the self-proclaimed lolicon, was definitely frothing at the mouth at the thought of Issei obtaining the object of his affections. He may have disagreed with Matsuda's tastes (I mean seriously, who _proclaims_ that they're a lolicon?! That's just asking for trouble.) but at least he could understand them.

As for Motohama? Well, he was just upset that Issei had supposedly managed to get a girlfriend before him, and wanted to get his licks in.

Now, let it never be said that Issei didn't value his friends. In fact, as of now, they may be the last bastion of 'normality' he had. Sure they had flaws, but since their first year in Kuoh, they had always been the 'Perverted Trio', and he would never be ashamed of that.

But that doesn't mean he couldn't have some fun. Everyone would spin rumors without .his input anyway. Might as well make it interesting.

"I just couldn't resist, man. You should have seen her last night. I mean, she may be petite, but she is a lot stronger than you'd think. Having her hold on to me is a sensation I'd never felt before."

 **Should I be concerned as to your increasing proficiency in bending and manipulating facts, and producing half-truths?** Sera's voice was laced with disapproval, but was definitely concerned as well.

 _Gimme a break Sera. Just some harmless horseplay. Just look at them!_

His friends' shoulders were shaking, and their fists were clenched tight. Little bubbles were forming at the corners of their mouths. _Just one little push._ "And let me tell you, those legs are something else! I'm just glad my parents had no problem with her, you know what I'm saying?"

The two of them lunged, an unholy glint in their eyes. Issei easily dodged them, before bolting towards the school building. He could vaguely hear the two of them rallying the others to chase after him, but he was already up onto the second floor. He could see the safezone of his classroom up ahead, but it was not to be.

His instincts creamed at him again, but the hand that lashed out was moving faster than he could react to. Dainty, slender fingers caught the back of his shirt and yanked him backwards, nearly choking him in the process. He swiveled his head around, and was confronted with cold icy violet eyes, framed by a pair of glasses. "No running in the hallways, Hyoudou-san."

"Guh... yeah, I mean, yes! Sorry, won't happen again, Shitori-kaichou!"

"See that it doesn't." She released his hold, making hi stumble before he balanced himself. "Student Council Room, lunch time. Do not make me wait." She walked away without even waiting for his reply.

"Wait a minute, I already have plans-"

"You can bring her too." She waved her hand dismissively, not even bothering to turn around, or explain how she knew about his lunch meetings with Shirone. The whole school probably knew by now, anyway.

 _What does she want with me now?_

 **I don't think you have to worry about the possibility of combat. They would have called you after school for that.** Ulrich answered for him.

 _I hope not. I still have phantom pains from the last time I was in that room._

Unfortunately, while he was pondering that, he failed to notice the former jock-turned-pervert who had aimed a drop kick to the back of his head.

 **What was that about harmless horseplay?** Sera tutted.

Lying face down, into the linoleum floors, he concluded his day wasn't going to get better any time soon.

* * *

Issei got the distinct feeling that Shirone was annoyed.

It started when he sprinted towards the room when the lunch bell rang, and saw her waiting at their usual spot. he always wondered how she always got here before him, her classroom was on the floor below his! But he pushed the queries aside.

When he told her that he had been summoned by the Council, her face never changed, not that he expected her to show any emotion in the first place, but the feeling of casualness he often felt with her disappeared immediately. He was just about to mention that she was allowed to come as well, but he didn't have to, because she started walking to the council room on her own as if she was the one invited.

"Umm... Shirone-chan? You okay there?"

"Fine."

The concerned inquiry, instantly wilted under the curt reply.

His time with Shirone had never been filled with idle chatter, but it never bothered him before. He always felt that the silence was just a part of their strange camaraderie. Now, the silence was suffocating.

He could only sigh in relief one they reached the Student Council room, only to pause once he realized what awaited him on the other side. He wanted to back out, but it seemed that Shirone wouldn't let him as she entered the room without knocking. Resigning himself to the situation, he wordlessly followed her.

The scene inside was familiar. Souna was sitting at her desk, with Tsubaki standing behind her. Rias and Akeno were eating from very expensive-looking lunchboxes, and had several plates of snacks on the table. Shirone didn't bother with a greeting, and simply started munching on the snacks, forgoing her own lunch. Considering her disposition for sweet things, they were probably for her, anyway.

"Please, sit, Ise-kun."

"Thank you." He decided not to comment on her familiar address. "So, how can I help you?"

"Down to business, I see. Well, feel free to begin eating, we did call you here during lunch, after all."

Issei was about to decline, as he didn't think his appetite could survive being around these people for too long, but Nick stopped him. **Accept the invitation, Issei. Don't be rude. I don't how it is in present day Japan, but I would think that sharing a meal with someone would be a sign of mutual trust, would it not? Best to begin cultivating these relationships right away in these uncertain times.**

"Thank you, Rias-senpai." He took a seat and unwrapped his lunchbox. Nick was right. There was no point in wasting food, anyway.

"Well, as for why you are here, we would like to ask you to return a favor."

"A favor, huh?" Honestly he should have expected this. Even with the contract between him and Shirone, the moment Rias and her peerage showed up in that church, he owed them, and they all knew it. "So, what do you need?"

"As you know, me and Sona belong to two very high-ranking members of Devil society, namely the Gremory clan and the Sitri clan. What you may not have known, is that we are both related to one of the Four Great Satans, that is the rulers of the Underworld."

"Umm... So what you're saying is, both are you are very high-profile targets?"

"Precisely." Sona confirmed. "After our recent encounter with the Fallen Angels, my older sister, the current Leviathan and the one in charge of foreign affairs, has had several meetings with Fallen Angel ambassadors, and they have concluded that since Raynare and her group had gone rogue and had initiated an attack without orders, none of us would be held responsible."

"So what's the problem? Seems to me that it worked just as planned."

"It did, in terms of inter-faction relations. But the fact is, Koneko-chan has suddenly contracted with a previously unknown magician. My older brother is all for giving us independence, but as you said, we are high-value targets, and our safety can't be left to chance."

"Where are you going with this?" He was developing a very anxious feeling about this.

"My brother is sending a subordinate within the week in order to appraise the situation and... determine your threat level. We don't know the exact date of his arrival."

 _That does not sound like something fun._ "So who is he sending?"

"He is sending his Bishop, Macgregor Mathers. He is a well-regarded magician, but I suppose his name would mean nothing to you comsidering how long your organization has been dormant."

The slightly condescending tone Rias spoke with irked him, but he couldn't exactly refute that statemtent. _I really have to fix that information gap._

"Alright. It would be no trouble for me to meet him. But I doubt that's everyything you need me to do."

"You assume correctly. Both of us have reasons to want to remain in Kuoh for as long as possible. But our stay here is predicated on the approval of our families."

"I see. Contracting with me can be seen as a hasty and irresponsible, so you want to reassure your guardians that it was not a bad decision. You want me to make as good of an impression as possible on Mathers-san."

"Exactly." Sona nodded, pleased that he had discerned their intentions. "You see, we have already made formal reports that explain, in detail, what we know about your abilities. But words on paper are not enough. It is likely that he will ask for a demonstration of your skill. We would like you to acquiesce his request."

Issei leaned forwards, setting his chopsticks down, giving the impression that he was deep in thought. "Can you guarantee, that whether or not he approves of me, I will not be placed in mortal danger?"

Rias and Sona exchanged looks, and that was all the answer he needed.

Now, one could say that because they had helped him, he was obligated to do the same, regardless of the danger. But the risks were on different levels. Issei had asked them to combat low-level Fallen Angels. They were asking him to face a direct subordinate of a Satan, one of the most powerful Devils alive. _Guys, I could use a little help, here._

 **Agree, Issei. Refuse and this Mathers will have definitie cause to disapprove of you. Better to take this chance than lose it altogether.**

"So when can I meet Mathers-san?"

* * *

Issei would love nothing more than to say that after that absolute clusterfuck of a morning, the rest of his day ended without incident. He finished his classes, he went to the arcade with his friends, and even managed to score some new 'material', and he went home without trouble.

Not even close.

Shirone, in her painfully direct manner, saw fit to have him pay her back for the interrupted lunch time (even though it was totally not his fault). She only had to say the words: _Your mother is making curry tonight,_ for him to understand what she wanted.

So not only did the entire Academy hate him for defiling the adorable mascot of Kuoh (Seriously, _defile_? What the hell were those rumors saying?), he also had a very powerful, very influential Devil looking to appraise him. Yay.

But that wasn't the worst part. Oh, hoho, no that would be way to easy, wouldn't it?

He approached his home, and felt a surge of energy. It washed over his entire body, its overwhelming power forcing him to stop his bicycle or risk losing control and crashing. And judging by how Shirone's arms tightened, she felt it too.

The entire sensation was identical to the feeling he got when he crossed the wards of the Occult Research Club for the very first time. The difference was that while the ORC's wards felt like suffocating blanket, this felt like an entire ocean bearing down on him.

Without another thought, he flew off of his bike and burst through the door. Laughter was emanating from the living room, so he slammed the door open, only to be stopped in bewilderment.

"Would you like another drink, Mac-san? There's plenty to go around!"

"I never turn down such generous offers!"

His father was laughing uproariously, a glass of beer in his hand, which explained the flushing of his cheeks. His mother was behind him, no drink in her hand, but she was giggling all the same.

Sitting across from them was a young man in his twenties, a head of black hair with streaks of blonde, narrow slits where his eyes should be, and a bewitching smile.

"Oh, hello! You must be Issei-kun, correct? My name is MacGregor Mathers. It's truly a pleasure to meet you! Please, join us. You too, Koneko-chan! Your parents have been telling me so much about you!"

 _I just cannot catch a break today..._

* * *

 **Lucky number seven, completed!**

 **So we have the introduction of another one of the spirits, as well as the Bishop of Sirzechs Lucifer himself (who isn't really an OC, but I will kinda have to make up his personality since the novels don't have much on him).**

 **Now, keep in mind, that I am basically making all of this up as I go along, which is not something most writers would recommend since it stinks of unreliability. That being said, I really don't think I can stick to canon for much longer with how many ripples I'm making. So, yeah. Look forward to that!**

 **Chapter 8 is on the way! 'Til next time!**


	8. Chapter 8: Heat Haze

The First Flame

 **Well, here it is. Chapter 8, which is lucky in Chinese culture, if I'm not mistaken.**

 **Chapter 8: Heat Haze**

If Issei had to describe MacGregor Mathers in one word, it would be _creepy_.

Everything about the man, from his perpetually narrowed eyes, to his strange attire to his discolored hair just screamed of someone you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. Every second he spent near him made him want to rub his skin with steel wire and a cheese grater. It was just this inexplicable sense of discomfort he seemed to exude that made Issei mark him as someone he would never just invite into his home for no reason.

And yet, here he was, chatting so casually as if they had known each other for years.

One would question why such a _creepy_ character would become so friendly with compete strangers, but not Issei. Oh, he knew exactly how Mathers managed to weasel his way into the Hyoudou household.

This was the work of a Devil's **[Aura]**.

As far as he understood from Seraphina's explanation, it was like a Devil's natural charisma. The mere presence of a Devil awaken's a human's baser instincts as well as lower their inhibitions. This makes them more susceptible to manipulation, and more importantly, to sin. For most Devils, their **[Aura]** is a passive effect, but with enough practice, it can be controlled towards specific goals.

 **[Aura]** was the reason Issei almost lost it when he met Rias and her companions in the Occult Research Club room. It was likely that they had loosened the restraints on their **[Auras]** in the hopes of influencing him. It was also why a creep like Mathers managed to get a normally cautious couple to invite him into their home like it was an ordinary occurrence.

He looked to the white-haired girl beside him, hoping for some support in this mess, but she was already engrossed in his mother's world-famous curry, so no help there. Also, it was a pretty safe bet that she was familiar with Mathers, or at the very least, had met him before, so it was no surprise she isn't wary of him.

To be honest, dinner wasn't as bad as he thought it would be, since Mathers pretty much ignored him in favor of depleting his father's beer stash and exchanging stories. It was afterwards that things began to go sideways.

"So, Mathers-san, what are you doing all the way up here?"

"Well, you see, it's kind of embarrassing. My niece goes to the high school here, and I was planning on visiting her. But it turns out, I knew diddly-squat about Kuoh, and ended up wandering the town for hours!"

"Ahh, your niece goes to Kuoh Academy, huh? Issei goes there too! What's her name, maybe our son knows her."

"Her name is Rias Gremory. Koneko-chan is in Rias-chan's club right? Issei-san, you should know her then."

"...Yeah, I know her. I met her a few days ago. Actually she did say something about her uncle coming to visit, but she wasn't expecting you to come so soon." _Why the hell are you here?_

"Well, something important in town came up, so I decided to kill two birds with one stone. And this way, I have the added benefit of surprising Rias-chan!" _I wanted to talk to you personally, without any interference._

"Why didn't you prepare something beforehand? There are lots of places around here that cater to tourists?" _You could have scheduled a meeting. Why did you feel the need to barge into my fucking house?_

"In hindsight, I probably should have, but then I met these nice people, and I really just didn't have the heart to decline such a generous invitation." _I met these people by chance, but I wasn't going to pass up such an advantageous position, was I?_

Issei didn't say anything further, merely gritting his teeth and repressing the urge to smash his teacup in the other man's face. Not like he would succeed if he tried anyway.

"Well, it's getting pretty late, Hyoudou-san! I should be heading to my hotel."

His father glanced at the clock. "Oh damn... it's this late already? Give me a minute, I'll call you a taxi, Mathe-"

"Oh no, that's quite alright. My hotel isn't far from here, and I think a nice walk in the night air will sober me up a bit."

"Bu-"

"It's alright, Dad. I'm going to walk him to his hotel. I have to walk Koneko-chan home, anyway." As if to emphasize his point, Shirone let out a small, but adorable yawn. Issei couldn't usher them out any faster, doing his best to get the two Devils out of his home while still maintaining a facade of courtesy.

Well, he could agree with Mathers on one thing. The night air did make for a pretty nice atmosphere for a walk with Shirone. Pity Mathers had to break it.

"Why the wards?"

"Consider it an act of goodwill towards a promising magician. I saw the remains of the seven-tiered ward scheme you set up, and it was rather impressive. Powerful with the added benefit of being undetectable until it encounters a threat. Most innovative. I thought I would show you some advanced techniques. But, please, feel free to examine them. I won't be offended."

Oh, he'll examine them alright. He'll scour every freaking nanometer of those wards, because there was no way there was nothing added on them.

And he wasn't buying the goodwill act of instruction for a second. It took him nearly a week to set up those protections, and this guy made barriers a hundred times stronger in less than a day. In a way, he _was_ instructing him, in that he was demonstrating how superior he was compared to Issei.

Smug bastard.

Of course, he didn't say that out loud."Thanks for your generosity." A few seconds of silence. "So did I meet your expectations?"

"I see Rias and Sona warned you." Mathers smirked in that infuriating way. The kind the villains in movies do when they think they have every advantage. The only difference was that this guy does. "But to answer your question, yes and no."

Issei's eye twitched. He hated it when people answered like that. "Well, feel free to elaborate."

"When my boss told me to appraise a magician of unknown origin and affiliation, I was excited at the thought of meeting someone new. I was told to reserve all judgements and assumptions, but I couldn't help it. I expected someone talented in magic, but then I heard that your organization has been dormant for some time, so I knew that the magic I would see would be of an older style. Which it was, I haven't seen runes like that in actual use for centuries."

"What can I say, my teacher was kind of old-fashioned."

"Do you think there is any chance I can meet them?"

"I'm afraid she passed on quite some time ago."

"Oh... I'm so sorry." To his credit, he did look genuinely sorry, but Issei was pretty sure it was because of the lost opportunity to speak to a master magician, rather than the death of said magician, that saddened him. That suspicion was confirmed when all trace of sorrow instantly vanished. "Well, no matter. I suppose I can still learn a lot from you."

And he didn't appreciate being treated like a new specimen to play with.

...Ugh, that sounded so wrong.

"Koneko-chan, how are your studies going?"

"Good."

"Ever the strong and silent type, huh? I guess I can ask the girls tomorrow. So, where are we going?"

Issei stalled. "You... don't know where we're going?"

"Nope!" he chirped, popping the _p_.

"I thought you were going to a hotel."

"Oh, but the night is young! We can sleep when we're dead, there is so much to do! Devils are nocturnal by nature, after all. That... and I may have placed a small compulsion on your parents giving you permission to stay out all night."

"You..." Disregarding the blatant use of mental magic, Issei didn't really want to spend anymore time with this guy. He turned to Shirone, hoping to use her exhaustion as an excuse, but it turns out Devils _were_ nocturnal, as Shirone's earlier signs of drowsiness have been replaced by alertness. He could only grit his teeth in frustration. He _did_ promise Rias and Sona he would try to make a good impression. "So what would you like to do?"

"Mmm, this is quite tasty!"

The three of them had ended up in a small, hole-in-the-wall ramen stand which Issei knew was open until late. Mathers had expressed a curiosity for Japanese cuisine, but Issei felt that he really wasn't helping the stereotype. It's not like he could afford anything better, and that was even considering the rising stack of plates in front of Shirone.

Seriously, she _just_ ate, where the hell is she putting it all?!

"Yeah, sorry this is all I could get us."

"No, don't be! I spend everyday in stiff, formal, dining halls with food so rich, it's probably worth more than this establishment. I'm growing to like the quaintness of this place. And gaining such high-quality food for such low prices is quite bargain, indeed!"

Issei had no experience with the high-class, but his enthusiasm seems real enough. The lifestyles of the rich and wealthy, he supposed.

"So, Issei-san, how long have you been practicing magic?"

He choked on his noodles in surprise, and quickly raised his head to look at the ramen chef who was preparing another bowl not three feet in front of them. But he didn't even look up from his work.

"So not that long, huh?" Mathers smirked.

"When did you-"

"The moment we walked in. When you didn't say anything, I thought you just didn't think much of it, but you didn't even notice it, huh?"

 _Sera?_

 **I felt nothing.** Seraphina's voice was clearly frustrated and horrified at the though of not being able to detect his magic.

"You really are an amateur, aren't you? And here you have Rias-chan and Sona-chan thinking you're an actual wizened mage. But I bet you've barely touched a grimoire, have you?"

Issei briefly contemplated lying, but he realized that Mathers would instantly see through any deception he presented. "First off, I never said that I was some supreme sorcerer. I've never really been interested in learning more magic."

"Then you're really not that much of a Magician, are you?" Mathers chortled.

Perhaps that was an insult, but Issei couldn't help but chuckle. "Up until I botched my date with a Fallen Angel, I was just another high-schooler. But when life gives you lemons, I guess."

Mathers actually looked offended. "Hey, we can't possibly be that bad!"

Issei fixed him with a flat stare.

"Okay, I never said it would be 100% safe, but come on, where is your sense of adventure? Your natural curiosity?"

"Adventure has had its fill for a lifetime. If it's my sense of curiosity you're looking for, it's being used to wonder what the hell I'm doing here with you."

"Oh, that was harsh." Mathers winced exaggeratedly, his hand to his chest. "Well, to be honest, I wanted to confirm or correct some expectations. One of those expectations was that I'd have to scare the crap out of you because I thought you'd be some smug, prickish, know-it-all-"

"Like you?" Issei couldn't help but interject.

" _ **But,**_ " he continued as if he hadn't heard him. "I can tell you're not that stupid. Fortunately, there _is_ something else I'm curious about, so i still have an excuse to terrify you! You finished, Koneko-chan? Good, let's go!"

He slapped a hand on their shoulders, and they disappeared, leaving nothing but a stack of empty bowls, a handful of bills, and one very confused ramen chef.

* * *

"Here we are!"

Issei blinked, before hunching over with one hand over his mouth to stop the rush of vomit. _Sera, what the fuck just happened?!_

 **Teleportation. This is amazing, he didn't even use a circle. Oh, are you alright, by the way? Teleportation can be quite jarring for first-timers.**

 _You don't say._ He managed to stand up, only to immediately notice something extremely wrong. Even Shirone seemed confused as to their whereabouts. It was then that he noticed something above him that _really_ shouldn't be there. He looked around, and saw nothing. Miles ad miles of nothing, stretching all the way to the horizon. "Okay, I'll bite. Where the fuck are we?"

"The Sahara Desert, of course." Mathers said it as if it was obvious.

The sun blazed above them, baking the barren rock and sand. The air seemed to suck out every bit of moisture from Issei's body. The land around them was nothing but sand and rocks, sand and rocks, sand and rocks in every direction. The place held nothing but desolation.

"Let me rephrase that: Why are we in the _fucking_ desert?!"

"Temper, temper." Mathers tutted. "Well, you see, I needed some place that was secluded. We can't very well do this in the middle of the city, can we? The humans have never even set foot in this area of the Sahara Desert yet. So we are quite literally in the middle of the _middle_ of nowhere! It's perfect, don't you think?!"

"Perfect? For God's sake, why?" Issei nearly lost his temper, even slipping and using God's name near Shirone, and he could only apologize mentally when he saw her wince.

"I wanted a demonstration." Mathers shrugged, seemingly unaffected by Issei's faux-pas. "And you look like you need a stress reliever."

As soon as Mathers said that, an internal struggle erupted within Issei's mind. On one side were Sera and Nick, on the other, Ulrich, with each side compounded by a host of unfamiliar voices. Issei heard them all, but whether or not he listened to them was another story. He ignored them all, forsaking their advice and opinions to ask himself a question he hadn't asked in what felt like ages. Forget what he should do. Right here, right now, what did he _want_ to do?

A great pillar of white flame, bright enough to outshine the midday sun, roared towards Mathers, continuing until it collided with a sand dune. The inferno raged for a full minute, and once they dispersed, all that was left was a trail of red-hot glass glinting in the sunlight.

"Well, that wasn't very nice." Mathers' admonishing voice made Issei and Shirone whirl around. Mathers was perched on top of a rock outcropping, at least ten meters high, without a scratch on him. "Jumping the gun a bit, are we? I didn't even say start yet."

 _Teleportation again?_

 **Definitely not. I was paying very close attention this time.** Seraphina was serious now, her earlier misgivings about engaging Mathers in combat forgotten. **Magic wasn't used whatsoever. That was pure speed.**

He leaned down to whisper to Shirone, whose mask of indifference seemed a bit strained. "I though you said Bishops were magic casters?"

"He is. He's just faster than you."

Issei couldn't help but gulp. In general, magic users almost exclusively used magic. An obvious point, but it also meant that they often neglected their physical attributes. The fact that Mathers seemed so fast meant one of two things. Either he trained his physical capabilities alongside his magic, or he was just so damn powerful that his weakest aspect was still leagues above them. No matter which one it was, their prospects just got bleaker.

"What are our chances?"

"Zero."

Can't get much bleaker than that, can you?

"Are ya kids ready?" Mathers hollered down to them. Upon receiving no reply, he gave them another unsettling grin that stretched from ear to ear. "Don't worry. I'll give you guys a handicap! Well, then…

"Here I come."

Space distorted. The air in front of Mathers twisted, and suddenly, Issei was grabbed by his shirt collar and flung to the side. His shoulder ground painfully against the coarse sand, but he managed to roll to his feet. He looked back and saw that the place where he had been standing now sported a small, but very deep gouge in the sand. Shirone stood next to the newly-made crater, covered in dirt, but otherwise, she seemed completely unharmed.

"Ah, you saw right through that, Koneko-chan. Fine then. I'll go back to the classics."

There was a brief flash of light, and in the next second, thirty tons of rock were raised into the air, and were sent hurtling towards them. With no way to evade the onslaught, Issei was forced to blow them apart with concentrated streams of fire. A few stray shards of rock managed to cut him, but it was hardly noticeable. Shirone didn't bother to dodge either, instead opting to use her bare fists to smash the rocks into pieces. Her status as a Rook meant that she barely even felt them when they impacted her skin.

Issei decided to go on the offensive and sent a wave of flame towards Mathers, expecting him to teleport again. But instead, Mathers raised his hand towards the flames, as if trying to block them, but there was no apparent result. Mathers' eyes widened slightly, but he still didn't teleport. Instead, his body rose straight upwards in order to evade the flames. But Issei didn't let him escape. The flames continued to chase Mathers, who was still flying through the air.

 _Why doesn't he just use his wings?_ The way Mathers was moving right now was choppy and imprecise. He had seen how excellent Devils were at flying with their wings, so why was he limiting himself? Was this his handicap?

A shadow passed over him, and he looked up, just in time to see a large boulder fly over him, straight towards Mathers. Issei watched as the rock flew closer and closer to Mathers, but at the last second, seemed to 'bounce' to the sides. Shirone continued to throw more and more chunks of debris, only to receive the same result.

"Koneko, get us up there!"

Shirone nodded and flared her wings, swooping down and effortlessly picking him up and giving chase to the floating Bishop. Mathers looked at them quizzically before grinning and flipping over so he was flying backwards, his hand held palm up towards him.

"Hang on." Shirone warned him, before diving and swerving in dizzying patterns. He could barely see what Shirone was despertely trying to avoid, but he could _feel_ it. He could feel the air shift around them as Shirone dodged the invisible projectiles by centimeters.

The constant motion prevented Issei from aiming properly, and he couldn't just release fire uncontrollably because Shirone could fly into it if he wasn't careful. But they had to do something, because Shirone couldn't dodge forever.

Fortunately, (or perhaps not) Shirone had a plan.

"Hang on." Shirone hefted Issei up until he was on her shoulder.

"Wait, wai- you're not gonn-AAH!"

And then he was flying like a bullet headfirst towards Mathers. An idle thought praised Shirone for her throwing ability, since he was flying straight as an arrow. His knee-jerk reaction was to burst into flames, but he managed to control it, and amplify it, so a curtain of flame was now crashing down onto the gliding Magician.

There were less than twenty meters between Issei and Mathers. At the speed Shirone threw him, he would close that distance in three seconds. There should be no chance for Mathers to defend hiself.

Despite the oncoming onslaught, the Bishop's grin never abated. If anything, it grew more vicious. Instead he raised both arms and crossed them in front of his chest. At that moment for the first time, Issei saw Mathers use a magic circle.

 **Tha-That's impossible!**

Issei didn't have time to ask, because he had _bigger_ problems. In every sense of the word.

Two seconds.

A deafening groan reverberated throught the Sahara. The land itself was growling, as if rejecting their presence. The dunes shook, the sand either spilling down or being kicked up into the skies, trying to reach the tiny figures soaring dozens of feet above them.

One second.

And the desert screamed.

A thousand tons of golden sand reached for the heavens. Gigantic tendrils sprang up with astounding speed, covering the distance between earth and sky in a split second. Where there was nothing between them was now a gaping maw ready to swallow him whole.

And he could do nothing to stop it.

* * *

Shirone saw Issei be swallowed by the sand. She didn't panic, or worry for his safety, because she knew, that despite what logic or common sense might say, that something as mundane as crushing or suffocation would not be enough to kill him, to overcome his godlike healing. There was no reason to worry. So she didn't.

Instead, she was enraged.

Her lithe, leg muscles exploded into action, the force resulting in a ten meter wide crater behind her, and would allow her to cross the distance between her and Mathers instantly. It wasn't at all like Kiba's technique of self-acceleration. Instead her method was more crude, simply kicking the ground as hard as possible to propel herself in any direction. She soared towards Mathers, her fist cocked back, the energy within it ready to be unleashed along with her fury.

The Bishop continued to flash that grating smile, extending one arm out in front of him, as if beckoning her forwards. The action did not improve her mood, but she caught herself. One of her strong points, besides the obvious, was her ability to remain calm and level-headed despite her raging emotions. She could visualize the next milliseconds. She had to put all of her power into this punch, because this enemy would not allow for second chances.

Her fist shot forward, with the intention of slipping past his defenses before he could get a chance to activate a barrier or teleport away.

She never got that far.

The Bishop named MacGregor mathers was an Ultimate-Class Devil. More than that, he was an Ultimate-Class Devil under the direct command of the most powerful Devil in existence. His strength, in all aspects and disciplines, was in a league light years away from Shirone.

And yet, that knowledge could not have prepared her for this result.

Mathes did not use his magical prowess to stop Shirone, nor did he block the blow with his superior body or even catch her incoming blow in the palm of his hand.

Shirone's meteoric punch, was brought to a halt by the tip of his index finger.

"Uwah, that was friggin' scary! You were really gunning for me, weren't you, Koneko-chan?" He was completely relaxed, but at the same time, she felt like she just punched diamond.

Shockwaves continued to propagate through their surroundings, blowing up large amounts of dust, but she didn't even notice. She could do nothing but stare at this impossibility that had unfolded right before her eyes.

"Well, that was quite something, but I've seen enough. I'll finish this real quick, Koneko-chan, so sleep tight until then!"

She didn't see what he did, she didn't know _what_ he did, but before her rattled brain could even perceive it, his finger was on her forehead. And there was nothing but darkness.

* * *

Mathers gently caught the dozing white-haired girl, settling her onto the sand and transporting her to another location (along with an array of defensive magics, of course). He had a feeling it would be rather treacherous to have her here so defenseless right now. He was already risking a scolding from his niece by doing this.

He raised his hand to the sun, inspecting his index finger. There, right on the tip, barely noticeable, was a small blemish, so tiny that one wouldn't even see it unless they were looking for it, and even then they would be hard-pressed to do so. It wasn't even big enough to be called a freckle, but Mathers couldn't stop staring at it in clear curiosity.

"That's very interesting."

His thoughts were cut off by a high pitched whistle and a series of cracking sounds, reminiscent of festering thuderbolts. He looked up to his creation, a swirling, spherical vortex of sand raised to the sky like a second moon.

Which was currently being ripped apart.

Two collossal forces were at war within this sphere. From the outside, the desert sand was constricting and contracting tighter with each second. At the same time, the heat from Issei's white flame were radiating outwards. It seemed that the two powers were trapped at a stalemate, but not for long.

A bright spot appeared on the surface of the sphere. The color shifted from red to orange to pure white, at which point, fire burst forth. Molten glass spewed from the opening like a volcano belching out magma. The number of eruptions grew by the second, until the entire proto-planet looked like a glowing sphere of red glass. It continued to brighten, until it could do nothing but violently explode, blowing itself apart.

Mathers' eyes tracked a small spot trailing ribbons of fire, falling to the ground. The figure crashed onto the ground, along with massive globs of sand and glass. He waited until the explosion had settled, and watched the figure struggle to get up. He surveyed the surroundings, and noted that he would really need to clean up this mess. After a few more moments, he sprinted over to Issei and began to jovially congratulate him.

"147 seconds! Not bad, not bad at all! The last time I used that trick, it took the guy five minutes to escape, and he was missing a limb!"

"Good... for... me!" Issei growled from his postion laid flat on the ground. He sluggishly raised a fist but Mathers put his hands up.

"Wait, wait, wait! I surrender! I have seen the error of my sinful ways! All I ask for is a second chance at life so I may redee-"

"Stop it! Why the hell are you talking like that?!"

Mathers was genuinely confused. "Isn't this how the repentant villain talks after he has been vanquished by the noble hero?"

"Maybe in cheesy shounen anime! So quit it!"

"Hmm... It seemed so much cooler when the people on the shows Rias-chan watches says it... Wait, I wasn't supposed to mention that."

At this point, Issei couldn't really care less about Rias' apparent dispostion towards anime. "So that's it? Is the examination over? And where's Koneko?"

"In order, yes that is it, yes it is over, and don't worry, she is safe. In fact, she should be waking up any second now. Now, shall we see your results?"

A blink later, and they left the area, to another part of the desert. They materialized in front of Shirone, who was glaring at them with her arms crossed.

"Sorry, Koneko-chan. I promise I'll treat you to your favorite treats when we get out of here, okay?" Mathers pleaded in an attempt to placate the annoyed girl.

"Why?" Most people would find the monosyllabic query completely nonsensical. But both men had known her long enough to infer from context.

Mathers put a finger to his chin, as if considering how to answer. "You know, I really don't like the desert. It's hot, it's dry, and sand gets absolutely everywhere. It's disgusting! I could have brought us to some peaceful grassland if I just wanted seclusion. I know this plain on the Eurasian continent that is just beautiful this time of year. But there was something that was bugging me. Not just you, Issei-san, but you as well, Koneko-chan. My initial theory was that it was a side effect of your contract, but now I see it's something more.

"Empty space seeks to be filled, and conversely, something with a high concentration will seek to disperse itself to the surroundings. Magicians naturally exude a small amount of magic because of the large amounts of energy within them wants to be released. In a place like this," Mathers gestured to the desolation surrounding them. "where there is no life, no magic, this internal urge for the equalization of energies is at its greatest. Magicians will subconsciously raise the output of their magic, and-

" **[S** **enjutsu]** users will bring out their own internal chakra."

" _No._ " Shirone spat out with more emotion than he had ever heard from her. "Never. I swore to never-"

"Never lose control like _she_ did?"

"Shut up." It wasn't a request, a demand, or even an order. It was a threat, and despite the obvious hierarchy in strength, Issei could tell that Mathers had crossed a line. He didn't know what, or who they were talking about, bu he needed to keep this conversation going lest he risk Shirone becoming even angrier.

 _ **[Senjutsu]**_ _? What the hell is that?_

 **I'm afraid I know virtually nothing. I studied magic exclusively, not sage arts. All I know is that it utilizes some form of energy that is separate from magic.**

"Mathers-san." he started, breaking the exchange of glares between the two Devils. "What exactly is **[S** **enjutsu]**?"

Mathers looked him dead in the eye, without a trace of humor on his face. " **[Senjutsu]** is an art that uses chakra, the power that exists within all living things. It is completely separate to all branches of magic, and its use is available only to humans and several families of Youkai. A user of **[Senjutsu]** can wield their chakra in order to utilize ki, which is essentially life force, to use a variety of techniques beyond the power and complexity of ordinary magic.

"But it comes with a heavy toll. When a **[Senjutsu]** user takes in external natural ki, they must absorb some of the malice and hatred that is always present in the world. Without enough willpower and control, one can quickly succumb to madness, overwhelmed by such destructive, negative emotions. That is why very little is known about it, and why there are so few users."

Mathers switched his attention back to Shirone. "So, normally, you'd be right, Koneko-chan. You know the risks better than I do, so I know you have a tight lid on your own chakra. If nothing else, your self-control is top-notch. And yet, for some reason, while we were fighting, you were using ki without realizing it."

"But you said this place was dead. Where-" Shirone stopped herself, eyes wide, seemingly lost in her thoughts, before her head snapped to Issei, witha look that he really didn't like, a glare that felt like she wss examining every fiber of his being. "Impossible." she breathed out.

"You hit the nail on the head, Koneko-chan! There was indeed a source of energy, right here! That brings me to the second reason I brought you two here. Not only does it bring out more of your power. Any power, no matter how miniscule, becomes easier to detect.

"You really confused me when I first heard of you. I was racking my brain and researching non-stop, looking for your kind of magic. It was something I had never seen before. My curiosity only increased when I observed this strange bond between you and Shirone-chan. But then a possibility came to me!

"Maybe it was because of your contract, I haven't figured that out yet, but somehow, Koneko-chan was drawing power from the energy you were naturally emitting. But that power didn't feel like mana, and furthermore Koneko-chan doesn't use magical energy to fight in the first place. But then it hit me! What doesn't feel like magic, can be generated by a human, and is readily usable for someone like Koneko-chan?"

"None of this is possible. I would've known the moment I met him if he was capable." Shirone protested. Throughout Mathers' deductions and explanations, she had grown increasingly agitated, to the point where anger was obvious on her usually expressionless face. Issei could not even speculate what could force her to exhibit such emotion, but he just knew, that it would not be good news.

"Yes, initially, I did completely dismiss it as the ramblings of an overworked mind. I made sure that you were human, and it is simply unheard of for a human to have such abilities, or a capacity like what is needed to use and sustain flames like yours. But what is it that one human detective said? _'When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.'_ I was right the first time, you're not a Magician at all!" Mathers crowed out in triumph.

"You're a Sage!"

* * *

 **I wonder if this one turned out okay. It's the Christmas season and I've been drowning in schoolwork, so this is the product of several sessions of half-asleep typing in the middle of the night. But, I wanted to get at least this chapter out before the new year. I'm not sure if I'll get to update again over the holidays.**

 **Now, for some responses!**

 **infadinityfollower: Truth be told? Concerning the integration of other pantheons, I did not think that far ahead. Also, I'm using the Genesis story simply because in the DxD universe, the Biblical God was the most powerful and prominent deity, and the story just kinda fit with what I was trying to do. Another thing is that, after a cursory glance of the creation stories of other cultures, they are almost all identical. As in, a deity sculpts man, breathes life into him, gives him knowledge, and so on.**

 **That's all folks! In case Chapter 9 isn't up before Christmas, happy holidays!**


	9. Chapter 9: Smoke Signal

The First Flame

 **Holy shit, I can type fast when I want to. I skipped the last day of school before the Christmas break for the sole reason that I just could not drag my ass out of bed. And yet, I somehow found the motivation to finish this?!**

 **Well I did finally get to watch Kizumonogatari Part 2 and Kimi no Na Wa, so I guess I'm in a good mood.**

 **Also, I recently got 300 favorites, and 400 followers! Happy days!**

 **Well, even if I'm not religious, I guess it's still a time for goodwill and gift-giving. With that in mind, I present to you, Chapter 9! (Get it? _Present?_ Ugh, kill me...)**

 **High School DxD and its characters do not belong to me.**

 **Chapter 9: Smoke Signal**

Issei was confused, a feeling that he was becoming all too familiar with these days. _Sera? What the hell is he talking about?_

 **I'm just as confused as you are.**

"Ummm, no offense, but I think you got something wrong there, Mathers-san. If **[Senjutsu]** is the utilization of natural energies, then I suppose there could be a resemblance. But my magic is very diffe-"

"Oh, please don't give me that. I'm not an amateur like those girls. Believe me when I say I have first-hand experience as to how it feels when a **[Senjutsu]** user unleashes their chakra and releases their ki. It is a fearsome experience, especially since the ki is tainted with such malicious intent, but you're doing something different. The energy is untainted and safe. You're not just controlling yourself, you have somehow found a way to completely purify natural life force!"

Mathers was on a roll now, looking every bit like a mad scientist that had just discovered a new species. With every word he said, Shirone just seemed more and more upset, clenching her fists so tightly, Issei worried that she might draw blood.

"And not just that, you can store it safely within you in staggering quantities! An accurate conversion rate from a Devil's magical energy to natural energy has never been developed, but from what I can estimate from that battle, you just unleashed the equivalent of a High-Class Devil's entire mana capacity! And it seems that you are still rearing to go!"

Okay, now he was no longer confused, now he was panicking. Mathers was clearly very intelligent and well-versed in magic, and seemed to be familiar with **[Senjutsu]** , so he wouldn't jump to such a radical conclusion without proof. Sera had little knowledge about sage arts, and it seemed that was the case for all of his previous lives. It spoke as to how rare and how dangerous **[Senjutsu]** was, but it also meant that it was not unthinkable that his energy and natural energy were indeed similar.

But there was something in Mathers' hypothesis that Issei knew to be wrong.

Most of the energy Issei used was not _stored_ , but _channeled_.

Issei's immortal soul functioned like a miniature power generator, coupled with a small reservoir of his own. But at the moment, his capacity was depressingly small. It would grow with practice, but as of now, he relied on his soul's second function.

Seraphina had developed a theory as to how a concept like 'Fire' could become actualized and maintain a sentience and for other concepts, even create a physical form. Issei acted like a receiver, which was connected to each and every single soul that believed in 'Fire'. Every soul generated energy, much more than what was needed to sustain itself, and some of that excess was sent directly to Issei. Multiply this process by billions, and there you have a near infinite supply.

The connection was completely undetectable and could never be severed, even if Issei should go to another world, such as the underworld, or Asgard, because this sacred connection was based on a higher plane of existence than the material world.

But Mathers had no way of knowing that. And Issei must never allow him to find out.

Issei had the potential to become one of the most powerful beings in existence, and for that reason, no-one could ever find out about his true identity. Exposing himself would be synonymous with placing his family in danger. Power attracts power, after all, and that would inevitably lead to conflict.

So he would have to go back to his newly-discovered method of getting out of trouble. Lie his ass off. Easier said than done, right now. Someone who was as skilled and experienced as Mathers obviously was, would never be satisfied by a simple denial. His own skills of deception would never stand up to the scrutiny of this Devil. Thankfully, he had a professional, and almost legendary liar on his side.

"M-Mathers, please believe me when I say, I am not a Sage."

"Then I'd love to hear your explanation." Mathers could not look more eager. Beside him, Shirone, who was the only one he could count on for support right now, was glaring at him, her golden eyes demanding an explanation. Honestly, he wanted one from her. Why did the very mention of **[Senjutsu]** aggravate her so much?

There was also something else that worried him about Shirone's behavior, something he almost didn't notice. It only lasted for an instant, but he was sure that behind the anger, behind the hostility, when he looked in her eyes, he saw a trace of _fear_.

But as cold-hearted as it may sound, she was not his priority right now.

Issei raised one hand, summoning an orb of flame to float atop his palm. Mathers' gaze studied intently, as did Shirone, as if hoping to discern every secret it contains.

"This is my ability. You are correct in saying that I am not a Magician in the true sense of the word. The most basic definition of magic is the generation, manipulation, and transformation of energy, with the use of mana. But as you have correctly deduced, I don't do that. I haven't been using _mana_ , but instead a unique and pure type of energy."

"A fraction of the amount of energy you showed me, no matter what kind it is, trapped in a human container would blow you to smithereens." Mathers pointed out.

Issei let out a nervous laugh. "But, uh... Well, what if I told you that I wasn't the only container?"

Mathers looked at him oddly, before scoffing in bemusement. "What nonsense are you talki- hang on." Mathers rubbed his chin, while holding up his other hand to silence them, while he muttered his thoughts aloud. "But that would mean... No, no I would have felt the transfer of mana... unless it wasn't _transference_ , but rather..."

Issei smiled. "Yes. Over the course of thousands of years, my predecessors have created many self-sustaining sources of life-force. Every Magician in the organization I belong to is connected to every one of those sources simultaneously."

"And you use a variant of teleportation magic to receive the energy directly into your system!" Mathers finished, with a look of glee and fascination in his eyes. "If what you're saying is true, then you might as well have a massive communal pool of power to draw on, all the time! What a brilliant system!"

"... That's not all. What about me?" Shirone's

"Oh! How could I forget? As intriguing as your explanation was, it does not explain how Koneko-chan used your power without even meaning to."

Issei gulped and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, the thing is, I'm pretty sure the reason why has already been explained. By both you and me." After the only response he got was two raised eyebrows, he gave out a little more.

"Well, first off, I already said that there was a resemblance to my power and the usage of chakra. I presume that means that it is suitable for Koneko to use. You were right in saying that the magic contract had a part to play. While I was trapped in your sand prison, I had to raise the power output levels. Such a drastic intake with little practice in control means that some of it would, uh, spill over."

"And the overflow went into Koneko-chan via the contract. I see. The contract is built by tying your magic together. And that bond is unshakable and very efficient in transferring energy. I see..." Mathers nodded in thought

What Issei just described was completely possible by the laws of magic, and is frankly easier to believe in than the truth. The best lies are the ones that are more plausible than the truth. People want to believe it, and when someone wants to believe in something, more often than not, they will. Of course, relying on just that would be foolish against these people. Mathers was undoubtedly of an academic mindset. In other words, he would seek to verify everything Issei said.

 **It does not matter whether or not he believes it, Issei. One of the most important aspects of a lie is the quality of being indisputable. I have talked to Sera and the only way to authenticate our claim is to examine one of those 'energy reservoirs'. He's more than welcome to try and go looking for them.**

Issei was not a good liar. He wasn't stupid, but he couldn't even lie to his mother, much less a Devil. He had not mastered the art of controlling his voice, his facial tics, and watching his body language. Deceiving for this long would have him exposed. But yet again that was all accounted for. Anyone would feel nervous revealing sensitive information to someone, doubly so if that someone was a Devil.

Conceiving a credible explanation in minutes with only a rudimentary knowledge of the subject matter, manipulating an intermediary to tell said explanation in a convincing manner, getting as close to the truth as possible while simultaneously leading the target in the completely opposite direction.

That was the peerless ability of the man known as Niccolo Macchiavelli.

"A new branch of magic, I still can't believe it." Mathers gushed, before launching into a tirade littered with technical jargon he could barely pronounce, much less understand. Luckily, he seemed content to rant instead of having any kind of actual dialogue. _That's one problem sorted, at least. As for her..._

He turned to the third member of their group, who had trained her hazel eyes onto him, her arms folded, and a glare that told him she was not impressed. _Guys?_

 **I'm sorry, Issei.** Nick chortled. **I'm afraid that task outstrips even** _ **my**_ **abilities.**

* * *

"I like him!" Mathers crowed, slapping him jovially on the shoulder.

"Because your seal of approval means so much to me." Issei muttered into his cup of tea, which was just about the only thing that was good in this situation. After last night's debacle, Shirone, who he strongly suspected was still mad at him, demanded more food, as if it was his fault she had to refill on energy. And of course, Mathers claimed that he possessed no local currency, so he was stuck with the bill. So to sum up, he was broke, sleepless, and currently having a tea party with individuals he'd much prefer to stay away from. The only other good thing was that he didn't have to talk to Avi again because he got no sleep whatsoever.

"I'm so glad you approve, Uncle." Rias' sugar-sweet voice made him want to gag, but he had to admit that despite her… _noticeable_ assets, she could still pull off the innocent and charming princess routine. If he didn't know better, he'd probably fall head over heels for her with one pouty look. "Koneko-chan was so set on having a contract on Issei-kun. I wouldn't have had the heart to deny her."

"Oh, I know, you never could say no to your Peerage. I would say that you spoil them too much, but, if I'm honest, I wouldn't be able to say no to Koneko-chan either!"

The uncle and niece shared a small laugh at that, with Akeno and Kiba joining in slightly. Throughout the conversation, Shirone unashamedly gorged on the sweets set out by Rias, as repayment for her uncle's sudden… _scrutiny._

Initially, Rias had not been pleased upon finding out that her uncle had essentially kidnapped a member of her Peerage to do battle in the middle of the Sahara Desert. It was a moment of satisfaction for Issei to see an Ultimate-Class Devil being scolded by a seventeen-year-old girl. But she eventually warmed up once she made sure that Shirone was unharmed and Mathers told her that he had approved of Issei as Shirone's partner.

"Yes, I'll have to confer with my colleagues in the **Order** about this one. Issei-san, are you absolutely sure that you won't accompany me back to the Underworld? You'll be given the finest accommodations during your stay. All of the tests will be of a strictly non-invasive nature, and I promise that I'll reattach anything that might get cu- Ow! Koneko-chan?!" Mathers cried out in mock pain, rubbing his temple where a cookie hit him.

"No experiments." Shirone said blandly, another cookie in her hand ready to throw.

"So harsh, Koneko-chan. Ah well, I can't force it. He's _your_ contractor after all. I suppose it makes sense that you wouldn't want to share him. You've never been materialistic, but you're always so possessiv- Hrk!" Another cookie, straight into his mouth.

Issei couldn't stop the thumbs-up, and he could have sworn he saw Rias suppress a smile.

"Oh, yesh!" Mathers said through a mouthful of crumbs. "Rias-chan, have you invited Issei-san to the Young Devils Gathering yet?"

"No, as a matter of fact it slipped my mind." Rias perked up. "That's a wonderful idea!"

"What's this about?" Issei asked warily.

Rias turned to him to explain. "It's just as the name suggest. In a few months, a gathering will be held, and many High-Class Devils between the ages of sixteen and twenty-four will be invited, along with their Peerages. It's a chance for us to display our progress, and a Rating Game tournament will be held to showcase our abilities."

"And what does this have to do with me?"

Mathers took over. "You see, Issei-san, Devils generally don't form contracts until they are older and have more experience. When young Devils, or Reincarnated Devils make contracts, they're often with Magicians who are just as inexperienced who form contracts to help raise their power."

"But you're an exception!" Rias chimed in. "I dare say that as you are now, you would be a challenge for many of the young High-Class Devils expected to attend the Gathering! It would send a message to others that- "

"That you have allies in powerful circles." Issei finished with a resigned sigh. And here he thought it couldn't get any worse.

Now normally the thought of being in a room filled with Devils would be more than enough to make him answer with a resounding "NO!", but Nick had warned him that he couldn't afford to be that hasty. Who knows when he might need a favor from these people. So right now, there was only one answer he could give, which was as close to acceptance as he could get without explicitly saying it.

"I'll think about it."

"Splendid!" Mathers finished his tea and stood, prompting them all (bar Shirone) to stand as well. "I hope to be seeing you during the Gathering. Now I'm afraid I must be on my way. Sirzechs is keen on hearing my report and I'm sure Lord Beelzebub would like to examine that Sacred Gear Extractor."

He embraced Rias and shook Issei's hand. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Issei-san."

"Likewise." He gave what he hoped was a convincing smile, wanting to just get this over with.

Mathers stepped aside, a transportation circle with the Gremory sigil appearing at his feet. "You kids be good, alright? Sirzechs better not send me back here because one of you got in trouble. Oh, but that doesn't mean you can't call just because, okay!" And with that final comment, the circle rose to his chest, and he disappeared in motes of crimson light.

Once Issei was certain he was gone, he sighed and turned to Rias. "Listen, are all your relatives like that?"

Beside him, Rias had a similar look of exasperation. "Believe me, Issei-kun, they can get _so_ much worse." she said with a voice that spoke of horrific past experiences. "Nevertheless, I must express my gratitude, Issei-kun. I won't ask what happened between you, Koneko-chan and my uncle, but whatever you did, it should satisfy my brother's curiosity for a while."

"Just tell me this straight up now that there are no overprotective relatives nosing in. Do you really want me at the Gathering or were you just exaggerating for his sake?"

"Truthfully? It would help. This is the first Gathering I will be attending, and first impressions are _extremely_ important for Devils, especially those who are just beginning to make their mark on the world. Most of them only know me by name and reputation, and my task is to exceed every expectation they have of me. Having such a powerful Magician on my side would be very beneficial."

Oddly enough, Issei could sympathize. Despite all of the posturing, the Young Devils Gathering was nothing more than a chance to show off. It was something every teenager wanted to do, prove that they were grown-ups now. Granted it was probably more refined than what human teenagers did, but the thought was the same.

"I guess being young with such a well-known family has its troubles."

"You don't know the half of it." Rias replied, in a voice that almost sounded like a whine. "Anyways, I can't force you. Only Koneko-chan can really compel you to come, but she doesn't really care about this kind of thing so the choice is up to you."

"Well, like I said, I'll think about it."

* * *

"So what did you learn?"

"He's a damned good liar. Twitchy as hell, but it kinda worked in his favor." Mathers commented, sitting down in the plush leather chair opposite Sirzechs' desk. Normally one would have to ask before sitting down in front of a direct superior, but these two had known each other for over a century. Formality didn't mean much to the pair of them.

"Any chance he was telling the truth?" Sirzechs asked, already knowing the answer.

"About the same chances you do if Grayfia finds you slacking on this paperwork again." Mathers answered dryly. "But I'm telling you now, 'Zechs, I have never seen anything like this one. Never even heard of anyone wielding white flame of all things. Sure you got your reds and blues and greens, but _white_? That's a first."

"So I've heard you say. And you've found nothing in your archives? Or in the Gremory library?"

"Not yet. I've been looking, but I have nothing concrete yet. Did you talk with **Grazauberer**? What's Pheles' opinion on this?"

"Doesn't have one. You know how he's like. Only shows up when he's bored or found something he wants to show off. I sent a message and I haven't heard back yet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but I wouldn't hold your breath for a response. I reviewed the reports myself. I wouldn't be surprised if Hyoudou-san's success was a result of some esoteric ritual from three thousand years ago."

Sirzechs rubbed his brow in thought, while Mathers sat silently, having known his friend long enough to know when he was thinking hard. He exhaled loudly, which told Mathers that he was going to suggest something he'd really rather not say. "I'm thinking we should confer with the Phenex Clan."

"Whoa, whoa there, boss man. I thought you wanted this one handled as privately as possible. That's why I've been searching personally and not dumping all the work on my minions."

"I did. But I simply can't ignore the similarities. Unparalleled control over fire, instant regeneration-"

"But not a single drop of Devil blood in him." Mathers reminded him. "He's not a bastard, nor he is he the descendant of one. Whatever his real story is, I've already accepted that he is human."

"There must be some correlation." Sirzechs insisted. "Perhaps their archives contain some hint to his identity, or maybe the coven he is a member of."

" _Perhaps,_ and _maybe_ , Sirzechs. You're already straining things by delaying Rias' and Riser's marriage until she finishes her schooling. Trying to force your way into their private libraries will only result in them asking to hold the wedding now."

"Then what course of action do you propose?"

"Rias invited the boy to the Young Devils Gathering. Rias gave him a choice but we both know he'll end up attending. Rias and Riser are engaged, so it is inevitable that his existence will be revealed to the Phenex family. All you have to do is urge for a small demonstration of his abilities. Once they see what he can do, their curiousity will do the rest."

"That is two months away." Sirzechs muttered. "I don't like unknowns, Mathers. Especially when they attend the same school as my little sister."

"Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't be concerned. But have some faith in your sister. She can take care of herself. Her little peerage is pretty good as well. And if all else fails that little Dhampir can get them out of there."

Sirzechs let out a tired sigh. "I'm telling you now, Mathers. Issei Hyoudou is a threat."

Mathers couldn't help but chuckle. "You're damn right he's a threat! Question is, a threat to _who_?"

* * *

The days after that passed with relative peace for Issei. He maintained a civil relationship with the Occult Research Club and the Student Council. It seems that Sona had learned that Mathers had given his approval of Issei, and had begun treating him with more respect. Not that it ever softened her punishments when he indulged in his hobbies.

As for his relationship with Shirone, he couldn't help but feel it had deteriorated slightly. She still dragged his ass up to the roof for lunch, but the atmosphere carried some tension with now, and he didn't really know how to deal with it.

True to his word, he, well Sera really, had scoured the wards that now covered his home, and suprisingly enough, there wasn't a single thing wrong with it.

It was basically a souped-up version of the wards they had set up, with a few added features, it now received power from the individual it was keyed to, in this case Issei. It seems that it was keyed to Mathers, but he left the position for him to take. Thankfully, it was simple enough to manage that Sera had coached him how to channel his energy without blowing the house up from overloading them.

Another feature was that if any excess was detected by the wards, it would be channelled and stored. If Issei was ever in a position that he couldn't supply energy, the stored power would be enough to power the wards for five days, like a back-up generator. It seemed that Mathers had kept good on his word.

Now that things had settled into a relative peace, and he was sure that Rias or the rest of the Occult Research Club weren't stalking him with their familiars, he had a lot more free time on his hands.

"Okay, how hard can this possibly be?" Issei mutteted, stretching his muscles in preparation. "Remind me again, why can't you guys just tell me how to do this?"

 **Because it would be useless. It's different from showing you the memories of a sigil. You have your own way of thinking and your own way of controlling your own body, and that extends to your control over the flames.** Sera explained patiently. **Oh, don't forget to take off your footwear.**

"Right! Thanks for reminding me." Issei peeled off his shoes and socks. He stood there barefoot, in the middle of the forest clearing he had found on the edge of Kuoh.

 _Alright, I can do this, I can do this._ He got the idea for his current endeavor after he reviewed his fight with Mathers. If it weren't for Shirone's reflexes, he would've been pelted by Mathers in the first second. He needed better reflexes, but those take time to cultivate. For now, he had to increase his mobility, because without Shirone he wouldn't have been able to keep up with Mathers while he was airborne either.

He spent some time inhaling and exhaling, and as he exhaled he ignited the soles of his feet. This time though, instead of maintaining the flame, he concentrated it into a jet. He increased it steadily, raising the pressure, until he could feel himself leave the ground.

He couldn't help the grin that came over his face. Getting excited, he raised the output even more until he was a foot off the ground. He wobbled in midair, waving his hands to maintain his balance. _Okay, this is pretty awesome._

 **Don't get overconfident.** Seraphina warned him.

 _Relax, I think I'm getting the hang of thi-_ "Whoa!" The sudden distraction caused the propulsion in his right leg grow stronger than his left. The imbalance caused him to start tipping to the left, and his attempt to correct himself only made him tilt to the other side. He flailed his arms wildly, but he couldn't stop falling onto his back.

Thinking quickly he aimed his palms to the ground and expelled two more flames. With four thrusters aimed at the ground he gained altitude at an alarming rate. He extinguished the flames, which of course meant that he began falling to the ground. Issei panicked and started using jets to try ad right himself, but only managed to send himself spinning. The final result: a particularly strong stream of flame sending his face into tree bark.

 **HAHAHAHAHAH!** Ulrich bellowed. **That was priceless! Do it again! You were really getting the hang of it! Soon you'll be a regular pilot! Ahahaha!**

 **Enough, Ulrich.** Sera said sternly. **Now, Issei. The most important part of flight is not to lose focus. Unlike the Devils or Angels, we were not born with the capabilities for flight. and so we do not have the natural instincts for it. Soon it may become second nature for you, but for now you must focus and clear your mind.**

 _This is gonna take a while isn't it?_ Issei grumbled.

 **Now, now, stop complaining. You were the one who thought it would be 'cool' to learn how to fly, you'll have to put in the work.**

That afternoon was spent trying to develop his new method of transportation. Issei had gone ice-skating once as a child, and he become quite good at it. He thought that this would be similar, but he failed to realize that balancing yourself on two solid blades was so much easier than balancing yourself in midair using flames you had to create yourself. And falling on your ass on the ice didn't hurt nearly as much as slamming into a tree at twenty kilometers per hour.

After three hours, Issei was confident that he could fly in a (relatively) straight line, but he wouldn't be doing any aerobatics any time soon. And if anybody found the burn marks in the clearing, well he was sure people would find an explanation for that.

Currently, he was relaxing under the shade of a big oak tree, trying to relieve the headache that came from hours of non-stop concentration. He sat in the shade, his eyes closed, enjoying the gentle breeze and the rustling leaves falling on his face. A leaf fell on his nose, and he waved his hand to move it away. A few seconds later something else was on his cheek, but it moved away before he could reach it.

After a few more instances of this, he was starting to get irritated. He moved his hand around wildly, before hearing a small, girlish, giggle. His eyes flew open, and in he bolted up into a sitting position. Another giggle had him turn around, and he saw what was tickling his nose.

The girl in front of him couldn't be older than ten. A curtain of black hair fell down to her ankles, with two strands framing her youthful face. She wore her a simple, sleeveless, black sundress that came down to her knees, a sharp contrast to her pure white skin. Her face was undoubtedly that of a child's, and yet as she had her eyes closed in laughter, one dainty hand over her mouth to smother her chuckles, Issei couldn't ignore the air of maturity she possessed.

Her eyes opened, and he was transfixed. Her eyes were black, darker than night, and seemed to take in everything they gazed upon. The twin black holes would normally inspire fear in even the most hardened hearts, but Issei was bewitched. He couldn't help but feel that they were perfect for her.

 _There is no way she's human._

"Hey there, Onii-chan! It's been a while, hasn't it!" the girl greeted him. before her expression changed to one of realization. "Oh! I forgot, you don't know who I am right now, do you? Well, that's okay. I'm just glad I got to visit you before my big brother." Even her voice was captivating, demanding attention without losing its playful, musical quality.

She started to approach him, and he held out his right arm wreathed in flames to stop her, but she disappeared and seemingly appeared clinging to his left arm. He instinctively flared up, but he could only watch wide-eyed in amazement, and horror, as the flames seemed to sink into her body, without leaving a single blemish on her skin.

"Mmmm! Your flames haven't changed, Onii-chan. But you don't have to worry, I'm not looking for a fight!

"I just wanna catch up!"

* * *

 **Gorp2323: Thanks for the corrections! I'll try to use the terms correctly from now on.**

 **Blood Winged Fallen Angel: Kudos for getting it right!**

 **Okay so for those of you who are unsure, I'll say it outright. The wedding is not happening! At least not yet. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the original plan was that Rias would get married after she finished school in the human world, right? I don't think they ever really explained why the date was moved up. I'm actually quite interested to see how this will change things.**

 **And we have another new character! And it's another loli, because I'm disgusting inside! And as for who the loli is, not telling, but you didn't honestly think Issei could slug it out in the Sahara without _someone_ noticing, did ya?**

 **Peace out, bitches!**


	10. Chapter 10: Fuel to the Fire

The First Flame

 **The rate of chapter production is directly proportional to the amount of homework given. In other words, this is my sorry-ass attempt of procrastinating. Enjoy!**

 **High School DxD does not belong to me.**

 **Chapter 10: Fuel to the Fire**

"Hey, Onii-chan, do you want some?"

The girl thrust her triple scoop ice-cream cone to his face. Issei flicked his eyes from the dessert to the girl's dark eyes, who were wide and expecting. He had a feeling he wasn't meant to refuse. He took a bite from the ice-cream, and the girl took it back. He had to admit, the vanilla was very creamy on his tongue. "It's good."

"I love ice-cream! You have no idea how amazed I was when it was first invented. It's really come a long way since then!"

"Yeah." Issei replied absently. "You get vendors almost everywhere these days."

"I know! And there are _sooo_ many different types, too! And I've tasted almost all of them! Oh, my favorite place, though is this store in Rome that sells the world's best gelato! I had one taste, and I _melted_! It was like I..."

This mindless banter continued on for a while, with both parties too preoccupied to discuss anything of importance. The girl, with her frozen treat, and the teenager, with his hurried thoughts.

The two of them had moved to a nearby park. The sun was still quite high up, so it wasn't empty yet, with several children and their parents playing. The mismatched pair got a few strange looks, but they went back to minding their own business once she started nagging Issei to get her ice cream. Just like a spoiled little sister.

 _I would appreciate a little help here, guys! Who the hell is this kid?_

 **That's... a long story.** Sera said in an uncertain tone. **But I can assure you that she is not dangerous, at least not to us. Treat her well, and she will respond in kind.**

 _Sera, what are you keeping from me? She said that we've met before, when?_

 **I'm not hiding anything, Issei. Please believe me when I say that. And the one who met her in the past was not** _ **you**_ **, but a past incarnation. Namely... Avi.**

 _So that old coot's the reason for this, huh..._

 **Oi, show some respect, you brat.** Ulrich snapped. **Avi is wiser than all of us combined. It's because of him that this girl's so friendly with you, so the first words that come outta your mouth when you see him better be 'Thank you', got it?**

"..,ii-chan! Onii-chan!" The annoyed yelling and the tug on his sleeve brought him back to the outer world, where he came face-to-face with the young girl leaning over him, face set into a stern, yet adorable glare, her hands on her hips. "Geez. It's very rude to ignore a girl when she's asking you a question, you know?"

Issei raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry, sorry. I promise I won't space out again. What did you want to ask me?"

"Hmph. I asked you, what name are you using now, Onii-chan? You change your name every reincarnation, don't you? It always seemed like more trouble to me."

Issei noted her knowledge of his cycle of reincarnation. "My name is Issei. Issei Hyoudou."

The girl crossed her arms, and tilted her head in thought. "Hmmm, Issei...nii-chan? Issei-nii... Oh, never mind. You're still Onii-chan!" The girl nodded her head imperiously, as if granting him that designation should be the biggest honor of his life.

"Right. So, what do I call you?"

Another glare. "If I didn't already know what you are, I would be insulted, Onii-chan. I am pretty memorable after all! I'll give you my name again, but you better remember it this time! It's no fun if you don't know who I am. And, and you have to buy me more ice-cream! As a penalty!"

She stepped away from him, twirling on her feet to face him. "Just as you are the concept of fire, the amalgamation of billions of desires for survival, given sentience and soul," She bowed her head, settling into a curtsy. "I am the concept of ' **Famine'**. When people sate their hunger, when they suffer in the throes of starvation, when entire nations are crippled by drought, they do it in my name.

"My name is Famine, the third of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the Forever-Ravenous, the Holder of the Scales, the Rider of the Black Steed of Starvation." A cheerful smile graced her features. "But my friends call me Minnie!"

...

"Onii-chan?"

...

"Onii-chan! Are you ignoring me again?!" she pinched his cheek

"Why are you a loli?" He couldn't help but blurt out the first question that popped into his mind: why a being that was thousands of years old would choose to take the form of a ten-year-old girl.

In the space between spaces, a similarly-looking conceptual being sneezed.

Minnie blinked twice and looked down at herself. "Oh, this? The answer simpler than you might think. I am Famine. I get hungry. And you'd be surprised how much free stuff people offer me when I look like this."

Issei couldn't repress the shiver that ran up his spine. "Actually, it doesn't surprise me at all."

Minnie gave him a strange look. "It doesn't bother you does it? I guess it is weird to see a being like me look like a little girl. I can take an older form, if it would make you feel more comfortable. I get a lot of free stuff in that form too, you know!"

"No, no, it's fine."

"Are you sure? It would only take a second. I won't even have to change clothes! Although, I admit it would be a tight fit..."

Issei clamped down his nose to stem the rush of blood. "NO, um, it's fine. You can stay in that form if you want. Let's just... Sit down so we can talk about this, please?" He gestured frantically to the bench, urging her to sit down.

"Oh? So this one has _those_ kinds of tastes, hmm?" She smiled coyly, and Issei knew that he had to correct this _now_.

"What? Nonono, hell no! That's Matsuda's fetish not mine. That is _so_ not what I meant!"

"So you don't like this form at all?" Her lips began to quiver, and her eyes became wet with unshed tears. "I thought I looked cute like this..." She raised her hands to her face, hiding her expression.

"Oh, for God's sake... NO, I didn't mean that at all! You _are_ cute, beautiful even. In fact, when I first saw you, I could barely take my eyes off -" his eyes narrowed, as he saw the corners of her lips peek out from behind her hands. "Now you're just fucking with me, aren't you?"

Minnie gasped in shock. "How dare you use such vulgar language in front of this innocent little girl? But yeah, I'm just fucking with you. Avi wasn't nearly as much fun to tease. Well, no matter. More to the point, what do you so desperately wish to talk about?"

The mercurial change of tone threw Issei for a loop, and irritated more than it should have, but he forced himself to stay on topic. "Like, how about why you're here?"

"Huh? I already told you why! I wanted to catch up! I haven't had contact with your last few incarnations, but I've really missed you! So, I'm sure you've noticed the Devils camped out in this city. Have you met them yet?"

" _Met_ them?" Issei just had to laugh at that. "Man, do I have to catch you up." _Why the hell not? She's just like me, and most likely stronger. She'll find out sooner or later. And for now, at least, she seems to be on my side._

 **You're right, Issei.** said Seraphina. **You can trust her. She respects us, so have the courtesy to return that respect. I won't say that she's on your side. More like she's on her own side, which just so happens to coincide with yours. But for now, she will not betray your confidence.**

Issei told her, pretty much everything about his circumstances, his contract, his deceptions, and what he thought may happen in the future. It didn't take as long as he thought it would. It was somewhat depressing that the past month of his troublesome life could be summed up in a few sentences.

"Wow, you have been busy." Minnie seemed impressed. "Looks like you'll have a rough couple of months ahead of you." She tapped her finger against her chin in thought. "You know, I can help you out a bit here."

"How?"

"Why don't I just kill them for you?"

Nonchalant. Completely casual. The same tone she used when she asked him for ice cream. The absurd suggestion left her lips without any emotion.

"It's not as if it'll be difficult. I've already scoped them out, and I can kill them in my sleep. And I promise there won't be any property damage. I have better self-control than that!"

"Stop it!" He couldn't stand it anymore. "You're not killing anyone!" He shouted.

Minnie seemed genuinely surprised by his outburst. "Huh? But you just spent the last twenty minutes telling me of how much trouble they put you through. If I kill them, it'll solve a lot of your problems!"

"Minnie, you can't just go around killing people!" he protested.

"...But I'm not. They're Devils. I would never kill innocent people. What kind of monster do you think I am? But surely these Devils are free game, right?"

The rebuttal made him stop cold, as he received a new insight into the true personality possessed by the concept of Famine. She obviously had some sense of morality, refusing to bring harm to humans she deemed innocent, but it seemed that that was the extent of her mercy. Anything that wasn't human was treated with cold hostility and ruthlessness.

This was the first time he had ever spoken to her, but he already knew that he would never be able to appeal to her in an emotional level. She would not understand that he wanted to keep killing to a last resort for the simple and possibly naive reason that he thought it was _wrong_. She just wasn't capable of the same kind of morality he relied on. She would kill those Devils without a second thought if they inconvenienced her. And the only reason she hadn't already was because she thought that they were on a level below her attention.

So if emotional arguments wouldn't work, he'll have to resort to logic.

"Look, those two are practically Devil royalty, okay? Kill them, and I'll have two of the Great Satans on my ass! I appreciate the offer, bu these Devils are small fish, I can handle them. You don't have to go to the trouble."

Minnie puffed up her cheeks. "They're literally the Devils you know, huh? Hmph, fine. I won't lay a hand on them. But if they bother you again..." The rest did not have to be said. "Just so you know, I don't _need_ your permission to kill them, but this is your town. I'll follow your lead."

Issei sighed and knew that it was the best he could do. He decided to change the subject, before she changes her mind. "Exactly how do you know me? You mentioned Avi, but how'd you meet him?"

"Eh? Um, well, that's kind of embarrassing..." Minnie sheepishly twirled a strand of her hair with her finger. "Can't you just get Avi to tell you the story?"

 _Okay, now I have to know._ "Exactly, I'll find out sooner or later, so why don't you take the chance to tell me your side of the story?"

Minnie hesitated slightly, before scarfing down what was left of her ice-cream cone, as if it contained whatever courage she needed. She took a deep breath, and cleared her throat several times before speaking. "I, uh, I may have, sorta, kinda, tried to... seduce him."

Issei blinked once. Twice. It was after the fifth blink that he managed to twist his head and look at Minnie's body. Her ten-year-old body.

She caught his gaze and started waving her arms. "No, no, I had a grown-up body back then, he wasn't a pervert like you!"

"Hey, wait a second..."

"Like I was saying," she cut him off. "I was just travelling at the time, and I really didn't have a place in mind. Anyway, I was somewhere in the Himalayas and I saw this old man sitting cross-legged on this ledge on the mountain. I mean, it was 20 degrees below zero and the guy was wearing a robe. I _had_ to wonder if he was dead or not.

"So I flew over, and pinched the guy's cheek. _Really_ hard. But he didn't even react! Didn't even bother to open his eyes! But he was warm, so at least I knew he was alive. So I said to him..."

* * *

 _"Old man! Wake up! What are you doing up here?!" Finally, I got a reaction. So he opens his eyes, and starts looking at me as if I'm the crazy one. I was about to yell at him, then I realized that you usually don't see young, beautiful women while meditating on a mountaintop._

 _Yes, I was beautiful. And I still am! Shut up!_

 _Anyways,the first thing he does, was look at me, then he says to me, "I must have been up here longer than I thought."_

 _Stop snickering!_

 _Needless to say, it wasn't the best first impression for both of us. After some verbal wrangling, I managed to get his name out of him, but I had to wade through so much of his stupid philosophies. I also told him I wasn't human, but he didn't really seem to care much about that. He was more interested in why I approached him in the first place._

 _I'm getting to it, I'm getting to it!_

 _So, you know how I'm the concept of Famine? That means I can sense people's cravings and desires. The reason I bothered to look at the guy was because I couldn't sense any hunger from him. As in, ZE-RO. Oh, his body was hungry alright, from what I could guess he hadn't eaten in days. His stomach was probably the size of pea But it was like he didn't even notice. He was talking and acting completely normally._

 _And he barely even looked at me! I didn't know whether to be insulted or impressed. Everyone craves sex, no matter how much they want to deny it, but I got nothing. I even turned into a guy in case he was gay, but I got no reaction either._

 _Yeah, I was so shocked, I thought I was having an aneurysm._

 _So we got to talking, and he keeps yakking about how he had released himself from the bindings of material desire. Something about how it was necessary for spiritual freedom, that it was the first path to enlightenment._

 _I know, it sounds like a fortune cookie._

 _Hunger doesn't just come from the body, Onii-chan, it comes from the_ _ **soul**_ _. Look at humans! All you can eat, all the time, but they're still always hungry. Hunger isn't just something you say that isn't there anymore! I really couldn't stand his rambling anymore, so I decided to knock him off his pedestal. Literally, I yanked him off the mountain and flew him to India._

 _Don't look at me like that, you would've done it too._

 _Anyway, the world was a very different place back then. It was right in the middle of the Age of Exploration, and the Portuguese had already set down in India to control the spice trade. Spices were worth more than their weight in gold back then, so the Portuguese had their hands full trying to control the locals._

 _It also meant that wealthy Portuguese merchants decided to make their new homes in this exotic new country to closely oversee their businesses. But of course they weren't going to settle for mud huts and straw roofs, so they brought their fortunes with them. Of course, this meant that there was a huge divide when it came to the distribution of wealth, but let's not get into that right now._

 _I introduced him to all the pleasures the world could offer a man... The richest food, the most delicious wine, the most beautiful women, the rarest treasures ever made, and he rejected them all. Barely gave them a glance! He just took a loaf of bread and a glass of water to be polite! And those women wanted me to pay up front! Not that I didn't get my money's worth, but still!_

 _Wipe that stupid look off your face, Onii-chan. You pervert._

 _I was going crazy. I needed to break this old man. So I thought to myself, go back to that old saying. If you want to know a man's true nature, give him power. Didn't some president say that? Whatever, I may be mixing up the times. I thought, well, if he doesn't like the good, maybe something a bit more immaterial?_

 _The point is, back then it was hilariously easy to pretend you were somebody important without anybody the wiser. They didn't do a lot of background checks in the sixteenth century. As long as you talk big, and have the money to back it up, you could be a King. Every nation was just a puppet running on strings made of gold and silk. So that's what I offered him. I gave him the strings that any man could use to control the world._

 _Yeah, you see where I'm going with this, don't you?_

 _Well, what do you think happened? I was pissed! I went through all this trouble and this old monk just keeps spouting crap about how unnecessary it all was to gain true happiness. Can you imagine? Some, puny, insignificant human telling me,_ _ **Famine**_ _, about true satisfaction? Like I was gonna let that go!_

 _Well... that's the other embarrassing bit. After I failed to seduce him, I, uh, tried to kill him._

 _You can guess how well_ _ **that**_ _went._

 _Anyway, at least I managed to surprise him, when the gaping hole in his chest closed up in a burst of fire. But I was pretty surprised too. Sure, I had met other deities, but this was India, gods were everywhere, still are. The only other conceptual beings I had met were my brothers and sisters._

 _Now, I was really annoyed. I couldn't tempt him, I couldn't even be rid of him by killing him. Even if I flew away, I'd leave knowing that such an annoying person exists. So I went along with it, and tried to figure out what was wrong with this guy._

 _And, crazily enough, he kind of grew on me._

 _I started to understand how he resisted his hunger. And the answer I could dredge up from his philosophical ramblings, was that he didn't resist them. I already knew that his body felt hunger, but I thought that he was just restraining it. But he wasn't._

 _He had learned from many different religions, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, everything. He traveled around and listened to any quack who was preaching at the time. He was trying to see if any of them, or some kind of combination would lead them to unconditional satisfaction. And what he came up with sounds impossible._

 _He said that, humans are not meant to deprive themselves of the pleasures the world has to offer. He said that a soul instinctively seeks happiness, and to deny the soul is the same as denying one's own existence. I mean, in the end, humanity come from the soul, right? So instead, what he did was find satisfaction in_ _ **existence**_ _itself. His mere presence in the universe was enough to inspire joy in his soul._

 _Look, I don't know if it's actually possible or not, but it worked for him!_

 _Avi was something that I never thought I would see on... well... anyone, not just humans. At least not for so long. He was_ _ **content**_ _. Even if his stomach was empty and he hadn't had a drop of water for days, he could still bring a smile to his wrinkled face._

 _He was an old man. He died not three years after I met him, and I stayed with him for those three years. At first, I was just waiting for him to slip up, but then I realized, I just enjoyed his company. He was such a breath of fresh air from all of the humans I had met before. When he died, I buried him up in that mountain ledge where I found him, and I still remember how he was smiling._

 _I can't say that I knew him best, but I can definitely say that he was the happiest man I have ever met._

* * *

"So you can see, Onii-chan, why I'm so interested in you!"

Issei was just trying to process the information that was just dumped on him, when he heard Minnie's declaration. "Wait, hang on. Is that what you're expecting from me? 'Cause if that's what you're looking for then I'm afraid you're gonna be disappointed. Celibacy isn't exactly my life goal."

Minnie could only give him a deadpan look. "Yeah, I kinda figured that as soon as I me you. But, another thing I learned from Avi is that humanity is full of surprises, especially if the human is someone from your, uh, lineage. So I'm sure you'll surprise me like he did!"

In other words, from what Issei understood from that statement, Minnie was sticking around.

* * *

That night, Minnie skipped along the dimly lit streets, munching on a bag of candy a nice man gave her earlier. He was very kind, offering to bring her to his house and play with her if she couldn't find her own home. Unfortunately she had to decline, but he was rather persistent, and, well...

She didn't think anyone would miss him, really.

The shadow of the deserted Kuoh Academy came to view. Even in the darkness of the night, or perhaps because of the darkness, the structure made for an imposing view. She finished off the candies, throwing the bag in a neary trashcan. She nimbly leapt over the chained gates, and made her way to the old building behind the school.

She felt the wards before she touched them. Normally, she'd just barge straight through, but she was going for stealth here. It wasn't really her forte, but she could pull it off if she had to. She concentrated slightly, until her form seem to melt into the shadows themselves. An instant later, the shadows coalesced as she reformed inside the building.

Minnie wasn't kidding when she said she wasn't here to fight Issei. Even if he was quite inexperienced right now, she still had no idea how such a battle would turn out. Not to mention the amount of collateral damage that would inevitably occur. Two ancient concepts clashing wouldn't be good for anybody in a thousand-kilometer radius. Not to mention her own abilities weren't suited for a one-on-one confrontation.

But if there was one thing he had a disadvantage in, it was his limitation to a physical form.

Issei was an exception amongst beings like them, having slipped into the cycle of reincarnation to get actual human bodies. But she, along with the rest of their brethren had to create their own physical forms. These forms were much more versatile, more durable, and disposable. It was why she could sneak into a place protected by wards preventing teleportation by unknown entities.

Teleportation, despite its appearances, was simply a very fast form of transportation in the material plane. But Famine was a conceptual being. Without the binds of a physical body, she could very easily slip in and out of the material world at any location she wished.

Right now, that location was a very, very dark room, with only pale, intermittent, flashes of light from the corner. The lights were accompanied by the soft sounds of gunfire and explosions. Minnie looked around the room, noting the cute dresses lying around, and the tastefully decorated coffin in the center of the room. Finally, her eyes rested on the room's sole occupant, who was furiously mashing the buttons on his console, controlling the camouflaged avatar on the wide plasma screen.

She had sensed this boy (she mentally gave the figure a once over before confirming that yes, the child was indeed, a boy), when she had been scoping out the Devils. She found the seals, and wondered what these power-hungry Devils could be hiding in a _school_. What she saw certainly exceeded her expectations.

A Dhampir, a Daywalker, the result of the union of a Vampire and a human. Certainly a kind and gentle soul, and yet she saw the darkness and hunger that was hidden deep inside. Oh, and _power_ , there was a lot of power in the boy. It could only be a Sacred Gear, something within his eyes if she sensed the energy correctly. _Oh, I could have some fun with this._

Issei wouldn't be very pleased when he finds out, but she did only promise not to _touch_ them.

She flexed her abilities, reaching out to the boy's soul, and left behind a small seed. Well, _seed_ was a bit of a misnomer, since this will grow much, _much_ faster. She smothered a giggle, before leaving the room in the ame way she entered, completely unnoticed.

Gasper Vladi paused his game, and headed for the well-stocked mini-fridge in his room. _I guess it's time for a snack..._

* * *

 **Something's wrong.**

Issei paused his scribbled note-taking upon hearing Seraphina's anxious voice. _What? What happened?_

 **I'm not sure, but we can all feel it. Something's about to happen.**

Issei had grown to trust Seraphina with his life. He'd be a fool not to. He recalled his earliest memories, replaying the morning trying to find something, _anything_ , out of place, but he was unsuccessful. He didn't have to wonder for long.

The intercom buzzed harshly, and the voice of Kuoh Academy's principle rang throughout the school. **"Apologies for this interruption, but this is an emergency. All students and faculty evacuate the school at once. Students, calmly follow the faculty members to the emergency exits. This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill."** _Click._

Everyone looked at the speaker in bewilderment before chaos immediately ensued. Their teacher set about calming everybody down, leading them out the doors. However, Issei had different thoughts. _Sera, the principal... his voice was..._

 **Hypnotized.** Seraphina confirmed. **Most likely by one of the Devils. They wouldn't take such a drastic course of action rashly. For some reason they want humans out of this school.**

 _I kinda got that. But the thing is... Should I get involved? It's technically not my problem, and Shirone hasn't asked for my help._

 **Personally, I think they can take care of their own problems.** Ulrich said gruffly.

 **I agree. Issei, the choice is yours, but I think maintaining a strictly professional relationship would be better in the long run.** Nick added.

Issei joined the gaggle of students pouring out of the doors. Nobody was really paicked yet, but as was expected of bored teenagers, they were very curious. It made sense, they didn't really have any idea what the supposed danger was, so it was ulikely they were going to take it seriously. He joined Matsuda and Motohama at the end of the line, and contributed his own crazy rumors to the conversation.

They made it to the main lobby when Issei felt it. It wasn't much, but Issei couldn't help but notice it. It was similar to the Devils' **[Aura]** , but there was something _sharper_ about it. The Devil's taint was still there, but it seemed muted, as if this new presence was overpowering it. And it was coming from the direction of the Occult Research Club.

Issei hesitated for five seconds before succumbing to the inevitable. _Oh, fuck it._ He slowed down his walking until he was behind the rest of the group. He looked around and made sure that no-one was around before sending a stream of fire at the carpet at the corner of the lobby. Nodding at his handiwork, he cupped his hands over his mouth. "FIRE! Right behind us! FIRE!"

It only took a millisecond for the students to acknowledge the shouting, and another for them to see the roaring flames behind them. Any semblance of order was instantly dispelled as the students sprinted for the exits. In the ensuing panic, Issei easily slipped away and ran to the disturbance.

He made it to Rias' building and immediately noticed something about the wards that were there. Before, they were a mixture of detection and barrier wards, designed to keep out any enemies. Now, though, they were containment seals, meant to trap whatever it has inside.

Following his senses, he blew straight past the building, heading to the same clearing behind the clubhouse where had previously fought against Kiba. That was the source of the new energy.

He rounded a corner, and encountered a chilling sight. Kiba and Momo were on the ground, conscious, but bleeding profusely from deep wounds on their bodies. Reya and Tsubaki were kneeling beside them, working their healing magic. In front of him were Rias and Sona, who were talking, almost shouting over each other. The other members of their peerages were arranged in a circle around the clearing.

In the middle of the clearing, a young girl wearing the Kuoh Academy uniform with pale blonde hair and slitted pink eyes, held Akeno from behind, with one hand holding onto her ponytail to tilt her head backwards. The girl was breathing heavily, her mouth poised over Akeno's neck. _Wait a second, are those fangs?!_ But there was one more thing that stood out about her appearance.

She was completely drenched in blood.

"Gasper, don't do this!"

"Gasper, release Akeno, right now!"

"...Senpai... I'm so hungry... she smells so good..."

Issei ran to Shirone, who was one of the people surrounding the unknown girl. "Koneko! What the hell is this?!"

"Rogue half-vampire."

"Kuh..." _Oh, sure, why the fuck not?!_ "You wouldn't happen to have any holy water around, would ya?" Glare. "Yeah, yeah, stupid question. What's wrong with her?"

" _Him._ His name is Gasper. And we don't know. He's Rias-senpai's Bishop, but he's been sealed for his own protection for a while now because of his powers, but Gya-suke managed to break out. We think his vampire blood is acting up for some reason."

"Wait, that's a guy?!" Glare x2. "Right, sorry, not the issue. Why can't Akeno just knock him out with lightning or something?"

"Because whenever anyone tries anything-" At that moment, Tsubasa silently charged in behind Gasper and his hostage, but she didn't get far. Gasper snapped his eyes towards the Rook, and there was a flash of light, and when it died down an instant later, Gasper and Akeno were standing three feet from their original position, and Tsubasa was on the ground clutching her stomach.

"... No, no, no! Stay AWAY!" Gasper screamed, his breathing becoming more labored and raspy, and he looked like he could keel over at any moment.

"The hell was that?"

"Gasper's Sacred Gear, **[Forbidden Balor View]**." Sona answered from next to him. It seems that she had given up on trying to reason with the vampire. "It has the ability to stop time in an area specified by the user. And also the reason why we've been having so much trouble."

 _Time stop? Holy shit, talk about OP._ "I assume you got some kind of plan?"

"I'm afraid you're only half-right. Rias is doing her best to try and dissuade Gasper without violence, but her efforts are only serving to stall for time. Our job is to try to separate the two of them before he sinks his fangs in her."

"This may sound like a stupid question, but don't you have some blood bags you can throw at him?"

"What do you think he's covered in? And besides, in the bloodlust he's in, cold, lifeless plastic bags filled with week-old blood wouldn't even compare to the scent of a warm-blooded virgin in his arms, especially since she used to be human."

"So what's our play?"

"Do you see Saji over there? That gauntlet on his arm?" Issei squinted his eyes, and made out a black gauntlet on Saji's left hand. It looked kind of like a small black lizard curled up around his wrist. "That's his Sacred Gear, **[Absorption Line]**. It has the ability to drain someone of their power, but he needs to make contact with Gasper before he can use it. But as you can see, that's easier said than done right now."

"So what do we do?"

" **[Forbidden Balor View]** has a two-second delay between activation periods. If we can attach **[Absorption Line]** to Gasper in that window, he won't be able to evade us, and Saji can drain his energy without harming him too much. But his time stop abilities are too difficult to overcome. without endangering Akeno."

"Leave it to me."

 **Issei, are you planning on employing that technique? Your control could still use some work.**

 _Unless you can think of another way of getting Akeno-senpai out of his hands in one piece... Besides, we're only dealing with two people here, and right now they couldn't be more different._

"You may want to tell Tsubasa-senpai to get clear. Saji, get ready!" He extended his senses, focusing on the two Devils in front of him, or more specifically, their **[Auras]**.

If there was a word he would never have associated with Akeno, it would have been _submissive_ , and yet that was the emotion she was projecting now. He didn't know exactly how powerful this Gasper boy was, but to inspire such fear into Akeno, he must have abilities beyond what the **[Forbidden Balor View]** granted him. Abilities that Issei couldn't allow him to use.

On the other hand, Gasper Vladi's **[Aura]** was completely overwhelming, all-encompassing, bearing down on them like a cloud of suffocating smoke. It was a wonder that the other students didn't pass out from being in the same grounds. And it wasn't static, it churned like a maelstrom, threatening to swallow anything that came too close in its hunger.

 _...You know what, I think I just figured out why this shota went berserk._ Putting that thought aside for now, he raised his hands, and released a wave of flame straight for the two of them. Gasper didn't bother to dodge, but instead yanked Akeno roughly in front of him, fully expecting him to disperse the flames. But the white fire never slowed down.

"Issei, what are you doing?!" Rias screamed in fear for her Queen and Bishop, but Issei ignored her, as well as the shouts from everyoe else. _Just relax, I know what I'm doing. Sorta._ Before Gasper could react, he expanded the flames to fully encompass them. Gasper and Akeno disappeared within the roaring flames.

But before anyone could attack Issei, a _single_ scream was heard. Gasper fell to the ground, rolling around in an attempt to smother the flames dancing on his skin. His hostage fell to her hands and knees beside him, completely unharmed.

Selective burning. It was another new ability that Issei was learning along with flight. It involved programming his flames to burn only a specific target, and pass through anything else. He already did it whenever he covered himself in fire, to avoid burning his clothes off. It was easy applying it to something he was used to having on him, since he already had a natural aversion to being naked in public. The trick was to apply that same aversion to anything he might want to protect from his own flames.

"Saji, anytime now!"

Saji raised his gauntlet, and the purple eyes began to shine, as glowing blue cord shot out like a chameleon's tongue, attaching itself to Gasper's neck. Issei extinguished the flames, since he knew Rias didn't want Gasper harmed.

Already he could see the draining effects of **[Absorption Line]**. He could visibly see the bulge of power travelling up the cord into Saji's gauntlet. Gasper squirmed, not in pain, but in extreme discomfort. His eyes lit up again and again, but he could never muster the enrgy to activate **[Forbidden Balor View]**. He tried to get up, but Tsubasa and Koneko immediately restrained him. It seems that while his magical capabilities were extremely high, he didn't have much physical prowess to speak of.

Soon enough, the glow in Gasper's pink eyes subsided, and he became limp in the arms of the two Rooks. As soon as everyone was sure that he was unconscious, Rias immediately came to Gasper's side, cradling his head in her lap as she ran several spells on his body. "Akeno, start heal- what the hell happened to your clothes!"

Issei thought that no matter what the situation, he could not be blamed for looking.

Akeno's uniform had been reduced to mere scraps that did a terrible (or was it a fantastic) job of covering up her body. Issei's eyes couldn't help but wander, and it took all of his willpower to stop staring at those round, firm and bouncy-

"I apologize, Akeno. I swear to you that this was not my intention." _But I'm certainly not complaining._ Turns out when Issei commanded the flames to burn everything but Akeno, he really should have been more specific.

"Ah, it's no worry, Issei-kun. It was due to your magic that we safely subdued Gasper-kun, after all. I'm sure you only had good intentions."

Issei wasn't very sure about those intentions, but he could practically _feel_ Shirone's eyes drilling into his back. He coughed loudly. "Um, Rias-senpai, how did Gasper-san get free?"

"We're not certain, but it seems that we have underestimated Gasper's power. It was decided that he would be sealed nearby for his own safety, until such time that I can help him control himself. Unfortunately, it seems those protections were not sufficient."

"So he broke out on his own?"

"That is the most likely conclusion." said Sona. "The wards around the building weren't penetrated, and it seems that the wards were broken from the insides."

"Can I see those wards?" Issei interjected.

Sona looked at him for a few seconds before jutting her chin to something behind him. "You're more than welcome to examine what Gasper left of them."

Issei turned around, and wondered how the hell he had missed that. In the side of the building, was a gaping hole, that was intermittently giving off small sparks of pink energy. He walked over to the opening, and started scanning the debris. _Sera, what do you see?_

 **An extremely powerful magic user. There is no technique here, but plenty of raw power. That Dhampir must have been extremely determined to acquire sustenance. These wards, they're like tempered glass. If you force your way through with no proper preparation, you'll end up damaging yourself. But that boy tore through it like paper. If he ever builds up control to match this strength, he will become a fearsome adversary.**

 _And that's before we take the_ _ **[Forbidden Balor View]**_ _into account._

 _Did you like my present, Onii-chan?_

Issei whirled around, and saw the Concept of Famine hovering right behind him. Her body was ghostly, as if it was made of fog, floating in the air. Without even asking, he knew that in this form, the Devils wouldn't be able to perceive her. He couldn't hold back the scathing glare.

 _You and I need to talk._

* * *

 **Alright, that's chapter 10, and with it the identity of another loli.**

 **So, I introduced personification of a concept, namely, Famine. Just by doing that, you can probably guess, I don't know, maybe three other concepts I plan on bringing in? (Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.)**

 **You know something? I toyed with the idea of having Minnie mess with someone else from the ORC, but after some thought, I concluded that Rias would only end up molesting her servants, Akeno would go on a sadistic rampage, Kiba would immediately fly to the Vatican to get his revenge, and Koneko would bankrupt every restaurant in Kuoh. So by process of elimination, Gasper it was.**

 **The ripples are becoming bigger aren't they? And I didn't do it just to bring in a certain shota earlier. Oh, who am I kidding, I burst out laughing when I saw the 'Vampire in a Box' for the first time. And I'm not kidding, Forbidden Balor View is OP as fuck! Stopping time, I can have _so_ much fun with that ability, and I can think of really cool scenes in the future. But that's a long way away. But I still think Gasper's awesome, especially in the light novels.**

 **Like I said earlier, this came out (relatively) quickly because, it's the holidays, and there's nothing else to do but homework, and I'm a master procrastinator. But also, I really liked the idea of ending 2016 with a nice round number. And what a year it's been, huh? Well, we can only hope for the best for the next one.**

 **Oh, and as for my New Year's Resolution? What else? Watch more ani- Ahem, I mean, focus on my studies! 'Cos I'm in my final year of high school and it is kicking my ass.**

 **Well, that's all I gotta say. I hope you have a Happy New Year's Eve, and I'll see y'all in 2017!**


	11. Chapter 11: Lighting the Fuse

The First Flame

 **Exams are a bitch.**

 **Chapter 11: Lighting the Fuse**

 _What the hell did you do to him?_

 _Nothing bad._ she assured him. _I just made him... more aware of the hunger he was suppressing within himself._

 _I thought you said that you had approved of Avi for doing the same damn thing?!_

 _Avi's different._ she waved her hand dismissively. _He didn't push down or bottle up his cravings, he accepted them, and transcended them. One thing I like about you, Onii-chan is that you're not afraid or ashamed of being a pervert. You may not have moved past your lust, but you have accepted it. But that boy? By actively suppressing his hunger, he is only bringing harm and stagnation to himself. That kind of self-deprivation just annoys me._

 _You can't just torment some kid because he's trying not to hurt anyone!_

 _But he doesn't have to hurt anyone does he?_ she countered. _He's a Dhampir, so he can't turn anyone. And he can certainly feed without hurting people. Being nice doesn't have to be the same as hurting yourself._

Issei pinched the bridge of his nose, and decided to drop it, because he knew he wasn't going to win that argument. Mostly because he didn't know if he wanted to win it or not. Instead, he refocused on something else she said that was rather worrying. _What do you mean 'present'?_

In response, Minnie pointed to the Devils behind him. He turned around and saw that Sona and Rias were in the middle of an intense, whispered discussion. _See how rattled they are? You have found a weakness, and at the same time their trump card._ _ **[Forbidden Balor View]**_ _is a Sacred Gear that could rival the Thirteen Longinus. And now you know that this asset's been crippled._

 _Wait,_ _ **crippled**_ _?!_

 _Sorry, wrong choice of words. Don't worry, I've removed most of the hunger I placed in him. This was more of a wake-up call for him anyway. It's not healthy, what that boy is doing, so this is good for everybody! You know, if you look at the big picture._

 _Oh fuck me, what the hell am I meant to do now..._

* * *

Rias was panicking.

This was not an emotion that she was used to, nor was it one that she particularly cared for. Given the circumstances, she felt that she should be allowed the luxury, but she knew better. Thankfully, Sona was here to help her keep a level head.

Nothing about this situation could be considered good. First, her sweet, shy, cross-dressing Vampire-in-a-Box Bishop, for some reason that she couldn't even begin to deduce, had a fit of extreme hunger and obliterated the seals that were meant to keep him and those around him same from the influence of **[Forbidden Balor View]**.

Furthermore, because of said hunger and the Sacred Gear, trying to calm him down was impossible without the threat of severe injury, and she would have never have allowed that to befall any of her beloved servants. She had never felt more relief than when she saw Gasper fall out of Issei's flames with only minor injuries.

But the mystery of Gasper's sudden rage had to be put on a back-burner to address a more concerning issue. What the hell were they meant to do now?

Rias did not create the wards in Gasper's room. She didn't even fully understand how to create them, only that they were tied to her magic core, and that she could enable and disable them at will. Sirzechs gave her control as a form of trust, but she was still forbidden from releasing Gasper outside times of dire emergencies when his abilties needed to be used. Her integrity was already in question after Koneko's impromptu contract, but this is on a whole other level.

Speaking of which, that was another problem. She just knew, _knew_ , that Issei was a part of this incident somehow. It was too big of a coincidence. One week after his presence was approved of, and her trump card against any assault was discovered and subsequently subdued him. Maybe it wasn't direct, but she could tell from the look on his face right now that he knew something they didn't.

And know he was walking towards them. "Issei-san, I apologize, but as you can see, we are in the middle of a situation."

"And that's what I want to talk to you about. From a cursory inspection of the broken wards, I believe I can understand their functions."

"You can?" This time it was Sona who answered. It was to be expected. While Rias was confident that her abilities surpass Sona's, in terms of magical knowledge, Sona had the undeniable edge. Even she would have trouble deciphering the complex spells and enchantments involved in Gasper's sealing.

"Yes." Issei nodded with confidence. "Granted, my skills are not as high as the one who created them, so it will take me a few days to completely reverse engineer the wards. However, I can guarantee that once I'm finished they will work just as well, if not better than they have before."

"And you will do this in exchange for what?" Rias didn't bother being courteous enough to hide her suspicion.

Issei smiled. "Nothing but the continuation of our relationship." When Rias and Sona trained him with a glare, he continued. "And, perhaps some time with, uh, Gasper Vladi, was it? I think I can help him with his little problem."

"Why the interest in Gasper-kun?"

"Interest!" Issei countered. "It is very rare to even meet a Dhampir. But a Dhampir with the **[Forbidden Balor View]**? What are the odds of that?"

Rias made the mistake of showing her hesitation, which Issei capitalized on. "I assure you, I won't do anything to compromise his safety. You, or one of your peerage members may even supervise. Hell, I'm sure Koneko-chan alone won't let me harm him in anyway."

She exchanged a glance with Sona. and she knew that their thoughts were mirrored. They couldn't just leave Gasper as he is, but at the same time they couldn't call for any help from the Devil community. If left unchecked, sooner or later, word of this would go back to the higher-ups, and her brother can only allow her so many provisions.

Furthermore, if it was leaked out that Gasper had essentially gone berserk, he might be imprisoned in a proper penitentiary this time, instead of just house arrest. They needed to get him under control, or lose him forever.

"How do you propose to aid him?" She couldn't very well put him in Issei's hands if she didn't know what he would be doing. "You would be susceptible to his Sacred Gear as well."

" **[Forbidden Balor View]** is indeed formidable, but it only affects those that are close to, or weaker than the power of the user, or those that are caught unawares. I assure you that my abilities can provide me with the protection I need to be immune from its effects."

Rias so desperately wanted to refute that statement, but found that she couldn't think of a good reason to. This Magician was powerful, and if Uncle Mathers was correct, used some form of magic which has never been properly observed before. She wasn't prideful enough to deny that he could very well be more powerful than her.

But was she prepared to form another connection with this Magician, whose background was nebulous at best?

She glanced at the prone form of her Bishop, who was lying on Koneko's lap, as Akeno was running several diagnostic spells on his unconscious body. She then looked at the wreckage that resulted in Gasper's escape.

"Everything you do goes through me. The second I or Gasper say stop, it all ends. That is not up for negotiation."

"I disagree."

The new voice made every single one of them turn to the edge of the clearing. _Oh no. Why? Why her of all people?!_

Standig there at the edge of the clearing was the most beautiful woman that Rias had ever met. And that is in no way an exaggeration. Judging by looks alone, she had far surpassed Rias and Akeno, no matter how bitter it made her feel to admit it. She was dressed in a blue and white maid uniform, but despite the subservient nature of her clothing, Rias couldn't help but feel that she held all of the authority at this moment.

Her long, silver, hair flowed down her back, ending in a pair of braids tied up in dark blue bows, glimmering in the setting sun. Her sharp, regal face was set in an expression colder and harder than ice. The woman's eyes, the same color as her hair, were completely devoid of emotion, but at the same time, they radiated absolute power.

"Grayfia!" She was the first to speak up from her shock. "What are you doing here?"

"Rias-sama, please remember that I played a large part in establishing these fortifications for Gasper-san. You may have been fueling them, but I still maintained a close watch on their condition in case they needed maintenance." She explained in a cool, crisp tone.

The woman, now identified as Grayfia, now turned to Issei. "I believe we haven't met." She settled into a traditional curtsy, her head bowed respectfully. "My name is Grayfia Lucifuge, Queen of Sirzechs Gremory. It is a pleasure to meet you."

To Issei's credit, it only took him a few heartbeats to remember his manners. "Ah, yes!" He bowed low at the waist. "My name is Issei Hyoudou. The pleasure's all mine."

"On behalf of the House of Gremory, I thank you for the offer to extend your services, but I'm afrai-"

"No! Wait a minute, Grayfia! Let's talk about this for a second." Rias interrupted her.

"There will be no discussion. Gasper-san shall be taken to Lilith for treatment and-"

"And then what? You'll throw him in a prison? Listen to me, I know this looks bad, but I can take care of this."

"You mean Hyoudou-san will take care of it for you? I'm afraid I cannot allow an outsider an outsider to have such close contact to a vassal to the House of Gremory." Grayfia turned to Issei once again and bowed. "I apologize for any offense I may have caused, Hyoudou-san."

"Ah, no. Don't worry, I understand your position."

"But it seems you don't, Grayfia!" Rias snapped.

For the first time, Rias saw a small, almost imperceptible flicker of emotion in Grayfia's eyes. It would have been invisible to anyone else, but she grew up with this woman, she had come to know many of her tells. "Rias-sama-"

"No! You will listen to me!" Rias could feel her temper boiling over, her body becoming enveloped in a faint crimson glow. "Gasper is _my_ servant, _my_ Bishop! You don't have any authority over him, and you don't have the right to interfere with the affairs of _my_ peerage!

"And furthermore, I know you, Grayfia! If you really did come here to take to take Gasper away from me, then my brother would be right here with you, along with a squad of medics and soldiers. So if you want to stop disrespecting me any time soon, then tell me this. Why are you really here?!"

There was a brief pause as Rias took several deep breaths to settle her rage.

"She's here because of me."

* * *

The moment he registered the new arrival, her presence bore down on him like an anvil. He had no doubt that this woman was leagues above Mathers. At least Issei could feel the last shreds of humanity in Mathers. But he just knew that this woman was 100% Devil.

It took everything Issei had just to stay conscious. Thank goodness Seraphina was able to calm him down, otherwise the bizarre combination of lust and fear might have overwhelmed him. But he was able to clamp down on his rising panic so he could think of how to get through this shit-storm. So maintaining this facade of stability is the priority here.

 _Whoa, who is this woman?!_

Minnie, in her incorporeal state, was not so reserved. She floated right in front of the the woman's face, before circling her body to look at her from all angles. _Man, I can really feel the strength coming from her. Still nowhere near our level, but it's pretty impress- Eek!_

The girl yelped in shock when silver eyes seemed to look directly at her, before the woman seemingly dismissed it an instant later. _Sheesh. Not only powerful, but her instincts are off the charts! You're gonna have your hands full with this one, Onii-chan! And I don't just mean because of her_ _ **huge**_ _-_

 _Will you knock it off?! You're not helping me here!_

Now, one would question as to why Issei even wanted to help Gasper. It's a valid question. Gasper has the potential to become extremely powerful in the future. One would think that Issei would like Gasper as far away as possible. So why was he suggesting he help his development?

If he had to be honest, Issei didn't think he'd be able to give a definitive answer. He just wanted to help Gasper. He might be a Devil now, but Issei could tell there was still a part of him that was still human.

He didn't have the chance to think about it earlier because of all the excitement, but he could see that Gasper really, _really_ didn't want to hurt Akeno. If anything, he looked like he wanted to hurt himself instead. He truly didn't want to cause harm to anyone, much less those he considers his friends. He was just a frightened kid that got saddled with a shitty situation and trying to make the best of it.

Is it any wonder that Issei could easily sympathize?

"This is why you're here, isn't it? To make sure that I will not bring harm to Gremory-san and her peerage." He switched to a more formal address to fit the situation. "However, Lucifuge-san, while I commend and understand your dedication, aren't you being too mistrustful."

"I think not." She replied without the slightest hesitation. "As you have already witnessed, **[Forbidden Balor View]** is much too powerful to be left unchecked. Despite his undoubtedly good intentions, it does not matter since Gasper-san cannot control himself."

"And I am in full agreement with you, which is why I proposed what I did." Issei nodded. "Let me make something clear, as of now, you are the onyl one who knows about this incident? You have yet to inform Lucifer-sama about these developments?"

Grayfia didn't answer verbally, only tilting her head slightly as a response.

"Well, then. Forget rebuilding the wards. Give us one month. One month, and I can promise that we can develop Gasper's control to a level beyond acceptable."

Now everybody was looking at him, and for good reason. It was a bold statement. Gasper's potential was massive, yes, but right now it was like a flood. An unstoppable flood with no restraint or direction. Building up either would take considerable time and effort. Surely much more than a single month would allow.

"Hyoudou-san, please don't take this situation lightly."

"I'm not, I assure you. It may seem far-fetched, but I'm confident that I can help improve Gasper's control by leaps and bounds. In fact, allow me to demonstrate right now." he gestured his hand at the pale-haired boy.

Gasper was beginning to stir. Issei didn't miss the way that everyone tensed at his action. Everyone except Rias that is. "Rias, get back!" Sona barked out, but she was ignored.

Gasper rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, yawning cutely. He tried to focus his bleary eyes, only spotting Rias around him. "Buchou? What's going on? Why are you in... my... room..." He blinked several times, before finally becoming fully aware of his surroundings. "Ah...aaahh... AAAHH!" he squealed in a shrill voice, before breaking down into tears. "What am I doing out here? The outside's too scary!" Rias enveloped the crying little boy in her arms, trying to calm him down.

 _Was this really the guy who tried to suck Akeno's blood just ten minutes ago?_ Issei thought to himself, trying to reconcile the image of the bloodthirsty Devil with this cowering wreck with very little success.

 _A hungry man is a desperate man, Onii-chan. And desperate people can do very dangerous things indeed._ Minnie said sagely.

"Gremory-san? if you will allow it?" he said, extending his hand, palm up.

Issei had come to understand something crucial about the Devil named Rias Gremory, based from his limited interactions with the Occult Research Club. She loved each and every single member of her peerage. Selfish and spoiled she might seem, but she would never allow any kind of harm to befall any of them if she could help it.

So this was a gamble. What would Rias find preferable? The safety of the Underworld, where she might lose her precious servant forever? Or the uncertain promise of a mysterious Magician, whose only guarantee was the word of her most unreadable servant.

Really, it wasn't even a contest.

"Gasper? I want you to meet someone."

"No! I don't wanna meet anybody!"

"Trust me, it's for your own good." Rias gently pulled Gasper away from her, before affixing Issei with a deadly glare. He got the message, but he couldn't afford to hesitate here. One mistake, and he could lose everything.

With one uninterrupted movement, he lit his hand aflame, and took hold of Gasper's small, fragile hand.

Everyone expected to see a flash of pink all expected to see Gasper ten feet away, clutching his hand in pain. They all expected Rias to immediately attack him with dark, crimson energy. This did not happen.

Gasper did not break down into a panic attack. He stared, captivated at the fires licking at his hand and forearm. The flames wouldn't hurt him, but it wasn't like he couldn't feel them. They moved from Issei's hand to Gasper's, curling around them in a warm embrace.

"Hello, Gasper. I'm Issei Hyoudou. A second-year at Kuoh Academy."

Gasper raised his pink, tear-filled eyes from the flames to brown eyes filled with a confidence that he himself had never felt before, but somehow knew that he would be able to attain. A promise of acceptance, and a feeling of belonging that he had never received in his previous home.

"M-M-My name is G-Gasper Vladi. A first year at Kuoh. Bishop to Rias Gremory."

* * *

"What did you do to him?"

"Whatever do you mean, Lucifuge-san?" The two of them stood alone, overlooking the repairs that were currently in progress on Gasper's room. Said vampire-turned-Devil had retreated into a small cardboard box with eyeholes cut out, with Shirone perched beside him munching on a bag of chips.

"Gasper Vladi is one of the most emotionally unstable people I have ever met. And you pierced his defenses and gained his trust in your first meeting. What manner of enchantment have you placed upon him?"

Issei couldn't help but smirk. _She really is the distrustful type isn't she?_

 **You didn't exactly give her evidence to prove otherwise.** Nick said wryly. **Mind you, I would advise against any behavior that couldn be deemed condescending.**

 _I'll do my best._ "I could practically feel your eyes on me during the entire exchange Lucifuge-san. I'm not so talented that I can hide magic like that from an Ultimate-Class Devil. If you were talking about the flames, as you saw, they weren't harmful. I just thought they would be a good way to calm him down. But I suppose you could say that I, umm... appealed to his humanity."

As expected, it was nowhere near enough. "I do hope you understand the status that Rias-sama carries in the Devil world."

"Trust me, that has been made very clear."

"Not clear enough." The volume of Grayfia's voice did not rise, but it now held a deadly intensity that made him feel like icicles were digging into him. The temperature around the two of them dropped visibly, creating a circle of frost on the ground and diamond dust floated between them.

 **I would have thought she would be more subtle than this...**

Issei felt the sheer cold, threatening to sap every bit of strength from his bones. He suppressed the goosebumps and raised his internal body heat, but didn't release any of the heat. He thought any attempt to match or overpower her could be seen as provocation. Best not to show any reaction altogether.

"Lucifuge-san? Why do you feel the need to put up such a front?"

"This is no front. I'm simply informing you of the consequences should you fail to keep up your end of the bargain."

"That's what I mean. You put up this emotionless exterior, but in reality? You want Gasper to improve. The last thing you want is to separate him from Rias. Why else would you even allow this bargain in the first place?"

"That is not a secret. It may surprise you to know this, Hyoudou-san, but the House of Gremory values family above all else. And if one enters the peerage of a Gremory, then they shall be welcomed with open arms. And you are correct. I hold the wellbeing of Rias and her servants above all else. Lucifer-sama spoils his sister, but even he would not hesitate to eliminate her servant if he deems him too big of a threat."

"And how are you any different?" he couldn't help but retort.

"I believe in second chances."

The words were said with so much sincerity, that Issei couldn't find a trace of doubt within him. It seems there was much more to Grayfia Lucifuge than this frigid facade. _We all have our own unique backgrounds, I suppose._

"You needn't worry. One month, and the next time you see Gasper, he will be a servant worthy of the great House of Gremory."

"See that you do, because if you don't, it is not my wrath you will have to contend with," She jutted her chin at the teenagers gathered arond the gaping hole at the side of the building. "It's theirs."

* * *

Rias sat at her desk, waiting for the glow of the teleportation circle to fade away, taking Grayfia with it. Only when she was sure that she had gone did she let her head fall onto her crossed arms. "What a disaster..."

"Really? I thought that went rather well." Akeno remarked, her smile still in place.

"Akeno, not now, please." she groaned. "Sona must be getting a kick out of this. She's always complained that I had such great luck at finding servants. Is this what one would call karma?"

"Buchou, I didn't know you thought us such a burden." Akeno said it teasingly, but there was a hint of brittleness there as well.

Rias raised her head sharply. "No, no. Akeno. You know I didn't mean it like that. I don't care about any of that. I wouldn't give you, or any of my peerage up for the world."

"I know you won't."

"It's just... Ugh!" Rias threw her hands up, falling back onto her seat. "Akeno, tell it to me straight. Do you think I made a mistake?"

"You'll have to be more specific."

"I'm serious. It couldn't be more obvious that Koneko-chan seems to think the world of Issei-san. But do you think it's right to trust him with someone as fragile as Gasper?"

"Well, you obviously didn't think so. You did demand that one of us be with him whenever he's with Gasper. And secondly, aren't you underestimating your Bishop? He's stronger than he seems. A coward wouldn't be able to work up the nerve to flee from a castle of vampires, when capture is synonymous with death."

"I know that there is a hidden strength in Gasper, and I don't mean the **[Forbidden Balor View]**. But in many ways he's still a kid. I still remember when he first joined us." Rias closed her eyes in her reminiscence. "He was so small, like if you touched him too hard, he would shatter. I remember how it took Otou-sama a week to believe that he was a boy. When we invited him for dinner he just... started crying. You remember what he said when we asked him why he was so sad?"

She heard Akeno's small voice. "He said, he was just so happy. Because he had never had a family dinner before."

"Exactly. He's been through enough, I don't want to lose him."

"And you won't." Akeno's hands clapped down on her and started rubbing. Rias sighed, feeling her Queen's fingers work their magic on the kinks in her shoulders. "Issei-san isn't the only who will help Gasper throught his. You, me, Kiba-kun, and Koneko-chan, we're all going to pitch in. and you know Sona will help you if you ask her."

Rias couldn't help but smirk, knowing that Sona would never let her live it down if she asked for help with her peerage. But another thought popped into her head which wiped the smile off her face. "Akeno, am I a good King?"

Akeno stopped her massage at the abrupt query. "Now why would you ask that?"

"I can't help but feel that I should have done more for Gasper. I should have worked harder to try and coax him out of his shell. Instead I locked him up, and who knows how much damage that did to him. Then Issei-kun comes along and gets through to him with a handshake!"

"Rias-"

"And don't tell me that you haven't noticed the changes in Koneko's behavior. In less than two months, Issei-kun pulled more emotion out of her than I have in years. And she still doesn't let anyone else call her Shirone."

Akeno took a few seconds to carefully formulate her answer. "Rias, you said that back then, Gasper was just a child, well, so were you. You couldn't have hoped to fix years of childhood trauma.

"As to whether or not you're a good King... To be honest, I don't know. I don't really know what it means to be a king, much less a good one. but I do know this. I didn't swear myself to you because of your 'kingly' presence. I wasn't looking for a sovereign to serve. I was a scared little girl who had just lost her mother, a King was the last thing I needed. I did it because I thought you were a good person, Rias."

She walked around and knelt down beside her, gently taking her hands. "We all have our flaws, Rias. You know what's wrong with us, and we've had years to figure out your flaws. And we really did need all of those years." Akeno chuckled when Rias huffed and looked away with a red tinge in her cheeks.

"The point is, maybe things will work out perfectly. Personally I'm hoping that Issei-kun is some kind of miracle worker and by the end of this, Gasper won't feel the need to hide in a cardboard box anymore. I'm hoping that we finally get to see the side of Koneko-chan that isn't just a blank canvas that loves sweets."

"The thing is, even if Issei-kun somehow fixes all of our problems, the fact still remains that _you_ took us in, _you_ gave us a family even with all of the extra baggage we carry. Maybe you could have done better, maybe could have done more to ease our burden. Nevertheless, you are the one we serve, Rias, and we won't abandon you just because somebody who might be better comes along."

She moved her hands from her hands to her face, making her green eyes face her own light purple. "The only thing you need to know is this, my King. I am your Queen, and speaking on behalf of your Knight, your Rook, and your Bishop, we will always stand by you."

Basking in the moonlight, King and Queen stared into each other's eyes, an exchange that went above words passing between them, an exchange that cannot be translated into words.

The red-haired Devil finally looked away, a smile finally replacing the cloud of doubt that had plagued her beautiful visage. "You always were so good at making me feel better."

"Comes with the job. You don't make it easy." Akeno smirked before slowly moving her hand further down. "But you know? If there is still some unease in your heart, as your Queen it is my duty to, how shall we say, ease the burden of anxiety on her sovereign."

Rias let Akeno have her fun for a while, before grabbing her hand just as it came down on her collarbone. "Not tonight, Akeno. We have a grueling month to plan ahead of us."

"Planning what?"

"Consider this an order from your King. For the next month, the peerage of Rias Gremory will do everything in its ability to ensure the continued safety and membership of Gasper Vladi. Gasper is _my_ servant, and it is my decree as King that he will not be allowed to leave my service."

* * *

"So how is the poor dear?"

"She's starting to recover, much faster than we expected. She's started singing lately. I wondered if she was making any sense, but it's the same kind of worthless drivel as always. But physically, she's getting better. We've given her some blood and she seems to respond well. She should be ready to use it again after a few days"

"She better be. Just be careful that you don't break her, hmm?"

"Relax. We've already made significant progress due to her Sacred Gear. We've already created some promising subjects. It won't be long until they can be mass-produced and ready to mobilize. A few days of rest won't change much. And who knows? Maybe a break will yield us better results at the next trial."

"That's good, because there might be a slight change of plans. Because of a recent addition, it seems that the party will be starting a bit sooner than we first thought. Just as well, really, since a few of our friends seem to be getting rather antsy."

" **Hexennacht**?"

"And the little heroes as well. Uhyahyahyahya~ Things are getting very exciting much sooner than I expected!"

"Do you really think it's a coincidence that she suddenly had an upswing in health at the same time those two started to become restless?

"Of course it's not a coincidence! That's what makes it exciting!"

The other man could only sigh and shake his head. "I care not for what the rabble do amongst themselves, but please ensure that they do not interfere with my work! I have enough trouble with Karnstein breathing down my neck. Keep up your end of the bargain, Lucifer, and I shall do the same."

"Don't worry, Marius-kun! I assure you, whatever happens next, I already know it's gonna be awesome!"

Locked in her gilded prison, a beautiful young woman lay on her bed, her porcelain-like face the picture of peace and serenity. A soft hum emanated from her lips, making a soothing melody without words or structure. Her striking red eyes snapped open, and the girl broke out into childish giggles, letting out her elongated canines.

She clutched her chest tight, and an ethereal white light filled the room, as the woman seemingly pulled a crystal goblet out of the light in her breast. She held it to her lips, turning the dainty cup in her equally dainty fingers.

"They're coming aren't they? They're all coming together now!"

* * *

 **Is it obvious that I just pulled this chapter out of my ass?**

 **I'll say it again, exams are a bitch,and they haven't even started yet. So yeah, my mock exams are starting in a couple of weeks and I've been up to my eyeballs in work. They are just mock exams, so I suppose they don't mean much, but unfortunately, my grades are tied to my standard of living. So don't expect an update until mid-February. If I get one out before then, then it means I'm a lazier bastard than I thought.**

 **I mean, seriously, everything in this chapter, I thought of in the last 24 hours. The good news is, there were a lot of good ideas for the future mixed in there as well so writer's block won't be much of a problem for a while.**

 **Not a lot of action in this one, but it was mostly set-up for the future. I'm sure some of you know this already, but the people in the last scene aren't OCs, but I also know that most people haven't read the light novels, so just to clarify. Nonetheless I hope the chapter was good, future teasers, a budding bromance, and yuri-bait. What more can I give?**

 **'Til next time, bitches!**


	12. Chapter 12: Detonation I

The First Flame

 **Highschool DxD is not my property.**

 **Chapter 12: Detonation I**

Issei wasn't lying to Grayfia when he said that all he did to calm Gasper down was appeal to his humanity. The way he interpreted it, he was the concept of Fire, but because of the circumstances of his creation, he was also the concept of Humanity.

Gasper may be a Devil now, but his soul still had a trace of humanity. When Issei shook Gasper's hand, he conveyed a sense of acceptance in the flames. In that moment, Gasper's fears and insecurities were overpowered by the flames saying, "It's okay, I'm just like you. I'll never hurt you." The effect was much greater than what words can accomplish because Issei was communicating on the level of the soul.

But there was also something else that Issei conveyed. As terrified as Gasper was of getting hurt, he was three times as scared of hurting someone else because of his rampant powers. By showing Gasper the white flame, Issei wasn't just saying, "I won't hurt you", it was also a statement of "You can't hurt me." So now, Issei had lifted a subconscious block in Gasper's mind, preventing him from releasing his strength.

This is what Issei was basing Gasper's therapy on.

Gasper needed a way to control his powers, but if he ever wanted a hope of doing that, he needed a way to let it all out. And that was never going to happen if he was scared of his own shadow. Hell, the kid scared of _hurting_ his own shadow!

Personally, Issei thought that the kid was going to be freaking terrifying in the future. I mean, being a half-vampire is crazy enough, but the ability to stop time along with it? If he could stop time, he could only imagine what he'd be able to do...

"Ah! Senpai! Your nose is bleeding!"

"It's fine... Just give me a second to organize my thoughts..." Issei groaned and tilted his head back, clutching the bridge of his nose. Once he had stemmed the blood flow, he rested his eyes on his kouhai once again.

It had only been one day after he had made the agreement with Rias and Grayfia, but Gasper looked eager to learn. However, he still had some anxiety issues, so to augment his confidence, Shirone had seen fit to gift Gasper with a... facial concealer. Now, Issei had no real problem with that, but he had to admit, that paper bag was pretty damn creepy.

Oh well. Gasper seemed to like it.

"Okay, let's begin." he clapped his hands, and Gasper perked up. Or at least, Issei thought he did. "First of all, Gasper, I noticed that you seem to have an aversion to things or people getting too close to you."

The paper bag deflated. "... I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault. But we do have to work on it. Because the way you are now, you'll start shaking like a leaf before you even start freezing anything."

"Um... Is that why you brought all of that stuff, senpai?"

"Yep!" The stuff was a basket that Issei had, uh, 'liberated' from the gym storage room, full of basketballs, baseballs, tennis balls, basically everything round that Issei could find in there. "Originally, I was just gonna go with the baseballs, but I thought, what the hell, the variety in sizes will help your control. I'm sure you've already guessed, but I'm gonna be throwing these at you, and you have to stop it."

"Ah?! I really don't like the idea of anything being thrown at me..."

"Would you rather have I have her do it instead?"

The two of them turned to Shirone, who up until now was watching with disinterest, but at this point seemed to perk up in excitement.

Issei could hear the nervous gulp underneath the paper bag. "Alright! Let's get started, senpai!"

The first few tries went as expected. Gasper only managed to stop one out of every four balls sent his way. But as he got accustomed to it, that number rose, and his control seemed to sharpen. So even if he didn't fully stop something, it was slowed visibly. On a whim, Issei tried to throw two balls at once, but Gasper panicked and ended up getting hit with both of them. It too ten minutes to calm him down again. So that was the end of that little experiment.

After two and a half hours, Gasper finally sank to his knees, panting heavily, his sweat-soaked paper bag falling off his face. Physically, he hadn't even moved from his initial position, but anyone could see the toll **[Forbidden Balor View]** has taken. "I'm sorry... I don't think... I don't think I can keep going."

It has been a while, and the sun was starting to set. Shirone had grown bored an hour ago, and had curled up to take a nap, which Issei thought was missing the point of supervising him. "Eh, it's fine, don't worry about it. To be honest, this is going better than I thought it would."

One of Issei's biggest worries was that Gasper would have absolutely no talent in using his Sacred Gear, and he would have to work from scratch. Thankfully, he seemed quite adept in using it when he was calm. It's just that he was too frightened to let too much out of his system. Which was why Issei had planned his second lesson.

"Alright, Gaspie, there's one more thing I have to teach you. Don't get up! This will only take a minute and you just have to watch."

Issei had spent a considerable amount of time the previous night convincing Seraphina and Nick that he hadn't, in fact, lost his mind and helping Gasper was a good idea. Unexpectedly, Ulrich seemed to be all for it, and wad helpful in coming up with a training regime for Gasper. When asked he was so enthusiastic, he replied that he couldn't stand for a man letting himself become so pathetic.

* * *

 _ **It seems to me to be like training in the army. There's only so much you can teach a man from shooting at dummies and hitting leather bags. I've seen far too many soldiers who were excellent on the assault course, or on the range, but the moment they see an army in front of them, they're as useless as civilians again. I survived when others didn't because I knew how to purpose my fear. I knew what I had to do.**_

 _ **That boy doesn't know how to use his fear. Let me put it another way, he doesn't truly know what he is afraid of. Oh sure, he may cower in his coffin all he wants, and maybe he has some vague understanding of it, but Issei, you need to make those ideas clear and concrete. I guarantee that once you do that, you wouldn't have just given the boy something to fear, you'll give him something to fight for.**_

* * *

Issei found that no matter how tired a person claims to be, there was always a bit more energy in them. You only know if someone is truly exhausted if they're unconscious and by that state it's a moot point. The lesson was that humans could dredge up surprising amounts of energy in times of extreme distress, because the mental limits have been disabled in favor of dealing with the situation.

As fast as he was able, Issei summoned vast amounts of blinding white flame. The flames roared as they rose to a height taller than the clubhouse Gasper fell back on his elbows, backing away from the torrent of flame. "Senpai... w-what are you doing?!"

When Issei had amassed enough flame to envelop the entire clubhouse, he raised his hand. "Watch closely, Gasper. Everything you see, everything you hear and everything you feel, I want you to remember it. Beat it into your head if you have to. Because this is how you'll become strong."

He dropped his outstretched hand, and the flames started to lean towards their target. "Senpai! S-Stop this! What are you doing?"

Rias told Issei as much as she knew about Gasper's background. She was extremely reluctant, but even she had to concede that Issei couldn't help Gasper with only half of the story. So Issei had learned about Gasper's past. His mistreatment, his escape, his death, all of it. Because of this, no one could say that Gasper did not understand death. But Issei had come to know that to fear for oneself was one thing. But how about for the life of a friend?

The flames crashed down, racing towards the white-haired Devil. Dodging was impossible. Resistance was suicide. The only thing left was the scorching embrace of the pure, radiant flame.

"No, no! STOOOP!"

The world was tinged purple. The laws of physics twisted and broke under the Dhampir's unholy gaze. It wasn't that the tsunami of flame was halted. Time itself was forbidden from passing by a single nanosecond.

Issei, nestled in a cloak of flame, looked at the static world around him. He stared at the trees, in the midst of swaying, but were now as still as stone. He plucked a frozen leaf out of the air, and watched it burst into flames. He released it and the moment he lost contact with it, the leaf, and flames dancing on it were suspended. He turned to his student, who was bent over, gasping and retching with exhaustion, but the pink glow emanating from his eyes spoke to his determination to remain conscious. He couldn't help but smile.

 _Oldest trick in the book._

* * *

Rias emerged from the summoning circle, her smile already in place.

Truthfully, she didn't want to do this. Issei had returned Gasper from their first training session, and the boy looked like hell. If it weren't for Gasper's interference, she would have annihilated Issei right there, regeneration or not. Even so, she would have preferred to stay with her Bishop to help him recover. But she had been summoned, and therefore had an obligation to complete the contract to the best of her ability.

"Whoa, that was pretty cool." A fascinated voice drew her attention to an armchair in the darkened room. A handsome man, in his twenties with black hair and golden bangs, and a goatee, sat leisurely with a wrinkled flyer in his left hand. "You must be the Devil." he smirked.

Rias instantly felt wary. There was something dangerous about this man and she didn't like it. But she replied with courtesy. "Hello, my name is Rias. How may I help you tonight?"

"Well, Devil-chan," Rias suppressed a twitch at the nickname. "I find myself in a bit of a pickle. You see I bought this nifty little thing a couple of hours ago." The man gestured with his foot at a sleek, top of the line gaming console. "And, I got a bunch a games to go with it, but silly me, I didn't realize they were all multiplayer!"

"You summoned a Devil... for a video-game?" Definitely not the strangest request she had ever received. But it didn't really match with her mental perception of the man.

"Why not?"

Rias really couldn't argue with that. She sat down in front of the wide screen display, and accepted the controller. The game began in a cacophony of gunfire.

"Whoo! Devil-chan, you're better than I thought you'd be!" The man swung his arms wildly, while mashing buttons in a frenzy.

"Of course! One of my friends is a big fan of these games, and I make it a point to play with him as much as I can!" In comparison, Rias was more sedate in her gameplay, but one could see the enjoyment in her eyes. After all, if she was obligated to complete this request, it would be a waste to not enjoy it, right?"

"I can tell. Not exactly something you'd expect from a Devil, but I suppose a hikkikomori still needs something to do."

"Yes, he-" Rias stopped, her dancing fingers ceasing all activity, as what her client just said registered in her mind.

An instant later, her hand lashed out, the **[Power of Destruction]** forming an orb within her palm, ready to incapacitate her target. She couldn't kill him, she needed to interrogate him first. But her wrist was grabbed immediately, and she could feel the dark crimson energy flicker away under the presence of the man before her.

"Well, I suppose that means I got the right Devil. Do calm down, though, because I you're losing major points in terms of customer service." The man was irritatingly nonchalant about the situation, the easy-going smile never slipping. In fact, Rias didn't think it was a mask. He was genuinely amused by the situation. "Relax, I just wanna talk. I'll make it easy for ya." Her hand was released, and she immediately retracted it.

Rias couldn't see a way out of this. This man was fast, too fast for her to complete the teleportation spell. And he was strong too, if the way her **[Power of Destruction]** was completely overwhelmed by his touch alone. As of now, her only option was the diplomatic approach. With extreme caution, she sat back down, and gestured for him to continue.

"So, I suppose proper introductions are in order."

"Yes, that would be much appreciated." It was an unspoken rule for Devils to not ask their clients' identities. If they wished to introduce themselves, that's their choice, but it makes sense for normal people not to associate with Devils beyond what is necessary.

"I was actually surprised that you didn't recognize me immediately, but I'm sure that you at least have heard of me." Twelve wings, so black they seemed to suck in all traces of light in the room, sprang from his back. "The name's Azazel, Governor-General of the Fallen Angels. Nice to meet'cha, Devil-chan."

It took every bit of experience that Rias had not to break out into a sweat. The only reason she hadn't panicked yet, was the knowledge that the Governor-General of the Grigori was supposedly very intelligent, and was not the type to kill someone for no reason, much less the little sister of a Great Satan. Nevertheless, she couldn't help the lump that formed in her throat. "So what did you wish to discuss, Azazel-sama?"

"Yeesh... So stiff... I liked you better when we were playing video games. But oh, well. As you've probably figured out, I've had my eye on the goings on of this town for a while now. Don't worry, it's not because of anything sinister. I'm sure you noticed a couple of Fallen Angels hanging around here a couple of weeks ago?"

"Yes." _Noticed_ was an interesting word to use, but she didn't dare say anything more.

"Well, I already talked it over with your side, and it's understood that they belonged to a group that went rogue months ago. Now what you guys don't know is that those small-fry were acting under orders."

"Whose orders?"

"His name is Kokabiel. A real piece of work."

He didn't need to say anymore than that. Kokabiel was another name that Rias recognized. He was another twelve-winged Fallen Angel, infamous for his almost obsessive hatred of Devils and Angels during the Great War. He didn't have the highest kill count during the war, but he was known for his exceptionally ruthless tactics and merciless behavior on the battlefield.

Azazel continued talking, ignorant or indifferent to Rias' internal thoughts. "You see, at this very moment, there are two emissaries from the Vatican in Kuoh, right now."

"What?!" And the situation just keeps getting worse. "Why are _they_ here?"

"Kokabiel or the Bible-thumpers?"

"Either one!"

"For the similar reasons, funnily enough. I'm sure you would have heard about it soon, but I'll tell you now. Do you know about Excalibur?"

"Of course I do. The Sword of King Arthur. Didn't it break hundreds of years ago?"

"It did. But as you can imagine, the Church just wasn't gonna let one of the most powerful Holy Swords in existence disappear. Not exactly sure how, but they managed to reforge it into seven pieces, each one having a fraction of the original's strength. Not a big fraction, but still enough to pose a threat. The thing is, one week ago, three of the seven Excalibur swords were stolen from guarded churches all around the world."

"..." Rias was rendered speechless. just the knowledge that seven powerful Holy Swords exist was surprising enough, but the knowledge that three of them had been stolen from underneath the Church's noses was just overwhelming. "Wait... Don't tell me..."

"Yep. Kokabiel stole the Holy Swords. And brought them right here."

"For what unearthly reason would he bring them here of all places?"

"Come on, you're a smart girl. You've figured it out, you just don't want to say it in case you're right."

Rias let out a ragged breath. "...He wants to start a war."

"Mmhm. Bringing the Church's Holy Swords into the territories of Devils who are close relations to Great Satans is volatile enough. Imagine what would happen, if he used those swords to kill you?"

Rias was glad that she was sitting, because if she was upright, she was sure she would have collapsed by now. All three of the Biblical Factions are present in her territory. A fanatical twelve-winged Fallen Angel was out for her blood to incite a Second Great War. She had only one month to train her Bishop or lose him. _Why are all of these problems coming now?_

"Why are you telling me this?"

Azazel smiled again, in a way that suggested he knew something Rias didn't and was enjoying every second of it. "You really have no clue, huh? I would have thought your big bro would have told you. Then allow allow me to let you in on a little secret. Two weeks from now, for the first time, the Three Biblical Factions are going to host a peace conference. And guess where the venue will be?"

"You're joking."

"My sense of humor isn't that bad."

"That's up for debate." Rias replied absently, her mind still working over the implications for such a conference. "You... you want this conference to be successful, don't you?"

"Of course. War isn't really my style. I'd much rather be in the lab, but my advisers told that it would be a good idea to be more proactive. So here I am."

"You're going to help us with Kokabiel?"

"Ummm... no. Not directly at least." At Rias' questioning look, he waved his hands to explain. "See now, technically, I'm not supposed to be here. At least not yet."

"What do you mean?"

"Until the peace conference is official, Kuoh has been declared a no man's land, you and the Sitri girl being the exceptions since you are the overseers of this town."

"What about the emissaries? Do they have permission to be here?"

"Oh, hell no! Do you honestly think the Church wants to reveal the existence of Devil-slaying weapons that have been _stolen_ just before a peace conference? That's a diplomatic powder keg waiting to explode. I think you'll find that the Church is pretty good at compartmentalizing. I doubt the the Seraphs even know about the theft, let alone that someone's been sent for retrieval."

"So what _do_ you want?"

"Here's the deal. I want Kokabiel to stand trial for treason, but I want it to be done by us, not the Devil or the Angel faction."

"Because that would make you look good. If you condemn one of your own generals because of trying to incite war, it would only emphasize that you want a proper treaty to go through."

"Exactly! But the thing is, if the Angel or the Devil side catch wind of this, they'll start an inter-dimensional manhunt for Kokabiel. And they're not really good at working together. Granted, there's a chance that that would be a good team-building exercise, but the risk of it blowing up in our faces is too big. Baby steps, you know? If you hand him over to me, though, you get partial credit for apprehending a dangerous warmonger, and I get the entire Grigori's co-operation with this conference. Win-win, right?"

"How do I know that you'll actually do any of this? For all I know, you could be stringing me along, only to join Kokabiel's cause at the last second."

"A valid point." Azazel nodded. "But do keep in mind, that if I _did_ agree with Kokabiel's views, you'd be dead by now, instead of having spent the last hour playing Halo.

"But you're right. You don't have reason to trust me. So here's what I'm offering. One, that Sacred Gear Extractor, the one Beelzebub is working on? I'll give you the instruction manual."

Rias' eyes widened. It's true that Lord Beelzebub had been working tirelessly for weeks to understand the ins and outs of that contraption, but it seems he hasn't even got close to figuring out its internal operating system. Rias could understand his frenzied attempts. Sacred Gears were rare and powerful and every Devil coveted them. A device that could extract Sacred Gears, and could have the possibility to transfer them, and would be in extremely high demand "Why would you give away such a valuable piece of equipment?"

"Meh, that old thing's outdated anyway." Azazel waved his hand dismissively. "I've grown tired of Extractors, moved on to something else these days, so I'll let Beelzebub have his share of fun with them. Hell, I'll even give it to you now, as a sign of good faith. Second, that magician you're having so much trouble with? I'll give you whatever information I have about him."

"You know who he is?" Now, Rias couldn't repress her shock at all.

"Well, I know his name is Issei Hyoudou, seventeen, attends your school. But who he _really_ is, that's still a mystery to me. But what I do have should prove useful, or at the very least, interesting to you. And a few crazy ideas to go along with it."

"... Is that all?"

"Eh? I thought that was pretty good..."

"You thought wrong." Rias stood, gathering whatever dignity she had as heir to the House of Gremory. "Lord Beelzebub is more than capable of cracking the Extractor without your help. In the same way, I can gather information about Issei Hyoudou on my own. Your assistance would be beneficial, but still not worth handing over such a valuable prisoner. Especially for reasons as tenuous as yours."

"...Ah, you play hardball, Devil-chan." Azazel rubbed the back of his head in exasperation. "Fine, then. I was gonna say this at the conference anyway, but no harm in springing it early, I suppose.

"Devil-chan, do you think your peerage can stand up to the might of a twelve-winged Fallen Angel?"

That was obviously a rhetorical question. Of course they can't. The collective strength of Rias and Sona's peerages probably wouldn't even scratch an Angel of twelve wings. Even her brother would have trouble against such an opponent.

Azazel took her silence as an acceptable answer. "Tell me, do you know the name Valper Galilei?"

"No. Who is he? And what does he have to do with any of this?"

"He was the one in charge of the now-defunct Holy Sword Project. And he's here, right now, with the Excalibur fragments."

That simple statement halted every one of Rias' thoughts, just before the full implications struck her. "Kiba-"

"That Knight of yours, the one who carries **[Sword Birth]**? He'll hunt down Galilei with or without your approval. And what do you want to bet that your peerage will just sit back and relax while he goes to get himself killed?

"So ask yourself this, can you really afford to turn down my help?"

A red circle appeared on the back of her hand, a stylized rook in the centre.

"Ahh, speak of the Devils..."

* * *

"I said I was sorry." Issei rubbed his arm, even as he felt the bruise heal itself in seconds.

Shirone kept walking in stony silence.

"Look, I know it was extreme, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I needed Gasper to believe it was as real as possible. So your reaction had to be genuine."

More gut-wrenching silence.

"You can't argue with results. Now that Gasper knows what it's like to put everything he has into the **[Forbidden Balor View]** , he can access it much more easily.

Still nothing.

"I don't even know why I'm apologizing. It's not like the flames were in any way harmful. And you told me that you wanted to help Gasper too. You have to admit that this is a huge step forward. In fact, you really should be thanking me."

At those words, Shirone finally saw it fit to acknowledge his existence, with a glare filled with soul-sucking, ball-shrivelling malice and contempt that could freeze a volcanic eruption.

"...I'm sorry." _Her face didn't even twitch! How the hell does she do that?_

 **It is a skill that all women are masters of, boy.** Ulrich imparted the wisdom in a grave voice. **You'd do well to never underestimate them.**

Seraphina sighed. **You two are hopeless.**

They kept walking towards Issei's house. For his part, he really hoped that his mother was making something delicious. He didn't want to know for how long Shirone could hold this grudge.

Actually, he was hoping his house was still standing. After declaring that watching him train Gasper was going to be 'drop-dead boring', Minnie decided to spend the day lounging around his home. He could only hope that she stayed incorporeal when his parents were near.

As the two of them kept walking, Shirone tensed, her body settling into a ready battle stance. Issei's response was not as hostile, but he could definitely feel the presence of _something_ nearby. "Shirone, do you know what it is?"

"Something holy."

Issei's mind automatically flashed back to the church of the Fallen Angels. "Stay behind me." Issei knew that Koneko could take care of herself, but holy objects were the bane of all Devils, and Shirone didn't have a way to defend herself against it.

The two of them ran as quickly as they could to the source of the energy. They came to a darkened back alley, just in time to see an old man in priestly garb run towards them. He opened his mouth to scream, but before a sound left his throat, it was halted by a foot of silver steel piercing it.

Blood spattered across them, as the priest croaked and choked in his own blood. Looking past him, Issei saw the face of his murderer. "Freed Sellzen!"

"Eh?" The psychotic swordsman tilted his head as he spotted the two of them. an excited grin coming across his scarred face. "Ahh, if it isn't the little fire mage! I've been meaning to talk you, for our last little encounter! And you brought your pet Devil as well!" He yanked the jagged blade out of the unnamed man's neck, nearly ripping his head clean off.

Issei eyed the gleaming sword. Despite its unusual shape, he could easily tell that its cutting ability should not be underestimated. And that was disregarding the holy power that was visibly emanating from it.

"Wasn't expecting to see you guys until later. But, as much as I'd love to stay and chat, I'm afraid I really do have to go!"

"Like I'd let you!"

Freed blurred from sight, only for another blur to crash against him, pushing him back into his original position. Kiba was now standing in the alley on the other side of Freed, blocking the only other exit out of the alley, brandishing **[Holy Eraser]**.

Looking around him, Freed let out a sigh, which slowly turned into maniacal laughter. "Oh man. I was just gonna let you guys off tonight, but looks like you really want to have some fun!" He held the sword in both hands, giggles escaping from the side of his mouth. "Guess I'll be able to test this baby out after all!"

Issei stamped his foot, conjuring a ring of fire around the four of them. Seeing as the escape route had been covered, Kiba charged Freed. He moved like a furious cyclone, each stab and slash of his **[Holy Eraser]** a bolt of black lightning. Surely no human can stand up to such ferocious swordplay.

And yet every strike was completely repelled.

Freed Sellzen moved with a speed that far exceeded his human limits. The ethereal glow that danced across the edge of the Holy Sword now encompassed his entire body, and it was clear that this was what allowed him to meet, block and parry every single one of Kiba's blows, as well as retaliate just as fiercely.

"He's losing ground." Shirone muttered frustratedly.

Issei and Shirone couldn't hope to assist Kiba right now. Shirone might be able to visually follow the clashing swordsmen, but her body was nowhere near fast enough to participate, especially since her opponent wielded a powerful Holy Sword, which could mean grave injury with a mere scratch. Similarly, Issei did not possess the speed to be anything other than a burden to Kiba, and he couldn't afford to leave Shirone on her own as well. _But I have to do something._

Calling up more flames, he carefully adjusted them, raising their intensity, and granting them the property of being _'harmful to everyone except Kiba Yuuto._ ' With a mental push, a thin horizontal line of fire pushed through the alley.

The two swords men barely even looked at the incoming fire. Freed dropped to the ground, zipping clear underneath out of danger. But Kiba didn't move. It spoke to Kiba's level of trust that he did not even flinch when the flames crashed into him. And that was the key to his victory.

The flames wrapped around Kiba's limbs, and his sword, even while he was in constant motion. Issei still couldn't _see_ him, but through the flames he could detect Kiba's position. But that wasn't the only reason.

At his current level of skill, there were several limits on the use of Issei's powers. Issei didn't have the necessary control to remotely summon the flames on something that was moving too fast for him to perceive, so he couldn't just will Freed to burst into flames.

Another limitation was how quickly his flames could spread. For something like mere cloth, the the flames could be pre-programmed so the 'jump' was almost instantaneous, but igniting a Holy Sword? That was another level of difficulty entirely. That would require concentration, and as previously stated, he was not fast enough for that.

Nevertheless, once Kiba had been imbued with the white fire, the roles were rapidly reversed. Freed was now on the defensive, using every bit of his newfound speed and agility to avoid being set aflame. In a situation like this, fleeing would be the safest choice, but the escape routes were blocked by enemy forces. Another option would be to switch targets, that is, to attack Issei and Shirone, but Issei's abilities made that an unwise decision.

So by all accounts, Freed was trapped. It was only a matter of time before the rogue priest made a fatal mistake, no matter how slight. He would fall here, and they all knew it.

At least, that's what Issei thought would happen.

Kiba brought his sword in a horizontal arc, making Freed slam his sword downwards. Keeping the blades locked together, he pushed his own sword upwards to swipe at Kiba's face. However, it seems that whatever enhanced Freed's agility did nothing for his strength, as Kiba easily overpowered him and brought up **[Holy Eraser]** to block the Holy Sword. But that was only the initial attack.

Less than a split second after their swords met, Freed sprang up into the air, slamming his foot onto the flat of his blade, using it as a springboard to launch himself upwards, with movements reminiscent of parkour runners. Freed struck his feet against the walls with enough force to crack the concrete, rising with alarming speed.

Of course, Kiba immediately gave chase with his wings, but Freed's vertical ascent exceeded Kiba's flight capabilities. So Issei attempted to catch him, by conjuring an orb of flame directly above them, and before Freed knew it, the flames were less than a foot in front of his face.

With Kiba on his tail and incineration just ahead of him, Freed immediately switched directions. Modifying the position of his foot, he threw his body to the side. In other words, he leapt directly over Shirone and Issei. It was a stunning display of dexterity and manoeuvrability. Unfortunately, it was only partially successful.

A stray tendril of flame made a feather-light touch on one of his long sleeves, but that was all that was necessary.

Freed's arm erupted, the white fire constricting it, shredding through the layers of fabric to attack the vulnerable skin underneath. The rogue priest crashed into the ground, as the flames scattered across his entire body.

Issei approached him warily, the way one would approach a wild and wounded animal, while lowering the strength of the flames so he wouldn't kill Freed by accident. It seems that he had nothing to be concerned about, as the only thing he could hear from Freed were groans of pain. Kneeling down, he pried the sword out of his charred fingers.

As soon as he gripped the hilt, the glow of the sword intensified to blinding proportions. At the same time, a foreign presence began to invade his mind.

 **Issei, drop the sword, now!**

 _I can't!_

This was not an exaggeration, Issei's hand was completely bonded to the hilt of the Holy Sword. The strange feeling continued its relentless advance. Without thinking, he lashed out, and he could feel Seraphina along with several others, some that he couldn't recognize him, push it back with equal force. With their aid, the feeling was suppressed, and the light of the Holy Sword died down completely.

Issei leaned against the wall, still gripping the weapon tight. Shirone and Kiba began to approach him, but he waved them away. "Both of you, stay away. Whatever this thing is, we can't let either of you near it."

"Hyoudou-san, maybe you should give that to me." said Kiba.

"Damn it, weren't you listening?! You saw what it did to me. Both of you are Devils, who knows what kind of damage it could do to you. You don't stand a chance!"

"I must insist." Kiba growled. "Give me that sword!"

Issei nearly flinched at Kiba's tone. For the first time, he saw something in the eyes of the normally affable Devil. Pure rage and hatred. But not at him, at the armament in his hand. He wasn't just wary of this Holy Sword, he absolutely despised it. It was something he would have never expected to see from the blond swordsman, and judging by the look on Shirone's face, this was a mystery to her as well.

"No." Issei asserted. "First call your master. She can decide what to do with him." he jerked his head towards Freed's twitching form. "Maybe she can get some info out of him about what the hell is _this_ ," Issei raised said weapon. "and why the hell a man just got killed for it."

* * *

Issei adjusted the newly-purchased duffel bag on his shoulder. This evening had been a complete headache, and after Rias appeared, it was clear that she shared the sentiment. And once she had explained what she had learned that night, he could definitely see why.

 _You know, I expected something different from Excalibur?_

 **Do tell, what did you expect?** said Seraphina.

 _I dunno, maybe one of those huge western style swords, the one you need two hands just to lift. Not something that looks like a blacksmith had a spasm in the middle of the forging process._

 **I admit its shape is unusual, but remember, Rias did say it was only a fragment. I imagine the original Excalibur was quite magnificent.**

 _I suppose that's why they were stolen. If you're gonna steal something to kick-start a war, you might as well get a weapon to help._

One would think that Issei would panic upon gaining the knowledge that his hometown could possibly become ground zero for another Great War. But honestly, at this point, he wasn't even fazed, and when told of the news, he could only give a dark chuckle while muttering, "Sure, why the hell not?"

After that, Rias had explicitly forbade Kiba from acting on his own, though it looked like Kiba had a stubborn streak a mile wide. He flat-out refused to agree with Rias' stipulations, and pulling reasons and details out of him was easier than getting answers out Freed's blistered, blackened body.

In the end, it was agreed that Issei would keep the Holy Sword for safe-keeping, provided that he brings it to the meeting with the Vatican emissaries the following day. Hence the need for him to have Shirone buy the duffel bag. He supposed he could claim that he was cosplaying or something, but it was extremely sharp, so he really didn't want to take chances.

Obviously, Kiba wasn't happy about this. But screw it, he was pissed about the entire situation anyway.

"I'm home!"

"Welcome home. What, no Koneko-chan tonight?"

"She got caught up with her club." Translation: Shirone was helping Rias and Kiba lug Freed and the priest's corpse back to the clubhouse. The reasoning was that the situation looks suspicious enough, but if they could actually provide the priest's murderer, the Vatican emissaries would be less likely to accuse them of the murder and theft of the obviously powerful Holy Sword.

"You missed dinner. I set out a plate to microwave if you want something to eat."

"Nah, it's alright. I'm too tired to eat right now. I'll just be in my room." He rushed upstairs before she could ask questions about the bag. But he was stopped. before he could duck into his room. "Alright, what's going on?"

 _I thought I would warn you first before you go in there._

Issei was instantly on alert "Warn me about what? Is someone dead in there? Who did you kill?"

 _Relax, I didn't kill anyone!_

"Minnie..."

 _Okay, look. Like an hour ago, two people came knocking. Figuratively, anyway I didn't give them a chance to knock._

"And just why did they deserve such an extreme welcoming party?"

 _'Cause they were carrying these._ A cloud of pitch black smoke appeared at head height. The smoke expanded, before retracting and shrinking in on itself, revealing two of the most mismatched objects he had ever seen. The first object was innocuous enough, a simple white scrunchie, the kind that you could buy on any accessory shop for a few yen.

The second one was infinitely more terrifying. It was a massive sword nearly as tall as he was, with the huge blade ending in three wicked points. It looked more like a club than a sword with how bulky it was. Two protrusions shaped like battle-axes formed a guard, connected to the sword with something that looked like chains. Overall, it was as if someone slapped multiple weapons together to make the ultimate tool for sheer obliteration of the enemy.

"Oh shit." Issei breathed out. "Ohshitohshitohshit-" He pushed past Minnie and stormed into his room, confirming his fears.

Two young women, one with shoulder length blue hair, and another with light chestnut hair in two ponytails were suspended upside down in midair, everything below their noses wrapped in a cocoon of darkness. Golden and Violet eyes locked onto him the moment he entered, carrying rage, confusion, and surprisingly, recognition.

He stared at them for thirty long seconds, before slowly backing out of the room, shutting the door, ignoring the muffled screams of fury and pleas for help.

He rested his head against the door frame, resisting the urge to futilely smash his head against it in the hopes that it would render him brain-dead.

 _What's wrong, Onii-chan?_

He didn't answer her. He simply took out a small piece of paper from his pocket, and held it up to his ear. "Rias? Yeah, it's me. Listen... We got a small problem."

* * *

 **I don't know who's idea was it to schedule a teacher training course the week before mock examinations are being held, but God bless 'em! Otherwise I wouldn't have had time to write this up.** **I know, I know, I should be using the free time to study, blah, blah, blah, I don't care. This is unexpected free time, and I can use it however I want!**

 **Enter Xenovia and Irina, everybody's favorite religious swordswomen! And along with it, the official start of the Excalibur Arc. Personally, I loved this arc in canon. It's the first time we saw Kiba as something other than the mandatory guy friend. I always liked the 'brothers-in-arms' vibe between Issei and Kiba that developed through the LNs.**

 **And of course, with the Excalibur Arc comes a certain Emperor. Look forward to that!**

 **Peace out, bitches!**


	13. Chapter 13: Detonation II

The First Flame

 **Wow...a whole month, huh?**

 **...Yeah, I got no excuse.**

 **Highschool DxD and its well-endowed characters do not belong to me.**

 **Chapter 13: Detonation II**

"Look, Rias, this isn't my fault!"

"Whoa, are these women real?"

"A colleague of mine came to visit, alright? She didn't even know about the situation. All she knew was that two people with very powerful weapons were at my door!"

"The amount of back pain these women suffer through, must be enormous!"

"I don't know what they're doing here! I called you the moment my colleague told me what happened."

"These models must be working very hard to be sweating so much. Though I do have to wonder, if it's so difficult, surely there are better ways of washing a car than lying on top of it?"

"I'll explain the situation to them. If all they really want are the Excaliburs, then this can be chalked up to just another misunderstanding."

"How come these girls have absolutely no body hair? Is it that wax thing that seems to be popular these days? Hmm... I wonder..."

"Okay, I'll try to keep them there. I'll see you in say, fifteen minutes? Okay, bye." he lowered the communication circle and let out a deep sigh, before turning to the prepubescent (not really) girl lying on her stomach on his bed, lazily kicking up her feet, perusing some magazines. "I swear you are no help at all. And where the hell did you find those!"

"It was the most poorly hidden stash of pornography I had ever seen. Though I have to admit, it's been a while since I've seen a stash with so much... variety in it. Wow, look at this one, I didn't think humans can even accomplish that..."

Issei fought off the urge to scream. It had been a long twenty minutes of arguing with Rias, before she finally conceded in letting him to talk to the Vatican emissaries here, and that meeting them in her territory would most likely make them more aggressive. Which brings him to not the the biggest, but certainly his most immediate dilemma.

The two young girls were still tied up, but Issei convinced Minnie to let them down on to the ground, because their time upside down was starting to turn their faces red. "Minnie, take off their gags, please."

Without even looking up from her reading material, she flicked her hand, dissipating the black binds around their mouths.

"How dare you treat us like this?!" The blue haired girl immediately yelled. "Do you have any idea who we are?"

"Emissaries from the Vatican, here to search for the stolen Excalibur fragments." he replied without missing a beat.

Issei took a moment to enjoy their shock before speaking again. "Listen, please. Believe me when I say that I don't want any trouble." he ignored the scoffing and continued. "My friend here was just... uh... a bit overexcited in protecting my home. I mean, you _were_ carrying very dangerous weapons. I'm sure that she was just being careful. Right, Minnie?"

"Sure, why not?"

Three simultaneous eye twitches. "See, she didn't mean any harm? So, if you please just calm down, she can release the bonds!"

The two girls exchanged looks, coming to a silent agreement. "Discussion is fine, but you must return our weapons first."

Issei's first instinct was to reject that idea, but then he remembered that he and Minnie could probably handle these two without much trouble, even without the element of surprise. "Alright, deal. Minnie, would you mind?"

The black bindings dispersed, just as another black cloud appeared above their heads, depositing one white scrunchie in the brunette's lap, and one steel monstrosity on the bluenette's head.

"Why you little-"

"Thank you, Issei-kun." her friend clamped her hand over her mouth.

Issei scrunched his eyebrows together. "Okay, how _do_ you know my name? Why were you coming to my house, anyway?"

"Introductions, then. Or maybe, re-introductions, I guess. This is Xenovia Quarta. She was raised by the Church so I don't think you've ever met her. But we've already met. Issei-kun, it's me, Irina! We used to play together all the time!"

"Maybe this will help. I found this when I was looking around your room." Minnie chimed in, floating an opened photo album into his hands. Issei peered into the album at the photo displayed. A photograph of his younger self with another young boy with light chestnut hair... and... violet... eyes...

 **3... 2... 1-**

"You were a girl?"

"Considering how many pictures of naked women you have, it's kinda funny that you didn't even realize your best friend was a girl. Then again, I did notice that you like women with bigger-"

"Thanks for your input, Minnie!"

Irina began to fidget and blush. "Griselda-sama warned us that young men may succumb to lustful temptations... But I never thought that you would be so weak as to indulge in such sinful behavior!" she said, scandalized.

"Do you have to make it sound so horrible?" Issei cried out in protest. "I'm a healthy young male, this kind of curiosity is nothing!"

"Oh, I don't know." Minnie muttered. "Curiosity is one thing, but this is bordering on obsession."

"And to think you would even corrupt this child with your perversion... How despicable." Xenovia said disgustedly.

Minnie jumped up onto his chair, her arms crossed in indignation. "Watch it, girl. I'm older than you and your little friend combined! or did you forget how I caught you within seconds, alone?" ...Or so she said, but her childish pose and the pout on her lips didn't really contribute to the image she was attempting to maintain.

"Stop! We're getting way off track here. The point is, Minnie is not a child, my interests are none of your business, and Rias Gremory is coming in five minutes so I have to start getting you two up to speed!"

"...Agreed." Xenovia nodded, seemingly having calmed down, though still wary, if how tightly she was gripping her Excalibur was anything to go by. "I want to discuss how you know of the Excaliburs, and the fact that they were stolen."

"I have my sources. But I am willing to share information with you two."

"I'm not sure if we can trust any information from someone so clearly associated with Devils." she stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Maybe you'll change your mind when you see what I've got here. Just don't freak out, please?" He zipped open the duffel bag, holding it open for the two to see its blood-spattered contents. "This look familiar?"

"Excalibur Rapidly!" Irina gasped.

"How do you -" Xenovia began to raise her sword, but thought better of it after a vicious glare from Minnie. She reluctantly returned to her sitting position before asking the question again, her voice still containing its aggression. "How do you have that sword?"

An hour ago, a man named Freed Sellzen killed a man who was dressed like a priest, with this very sword."

"Sellzen? The rogue exorcist?" Irina breathed out. "He's here in Kuoh?"

"He tried to kill me." _For the second time._ "I along with some of the local Devils encountered him just a few hours ago. He's now locked up by the one of the overseers of this town. I was entrusted with- Excalibur Rapidly, was it?- for safekeeping. That answers your question. But what I want to know now, is why the hell there are three more Excaliburs in Kuoh than there should be?"

"We were armed with these Excaliburs so we would have the armaments necessary to combat the thieves. The other priest, he was of the Christian Orthodox Church. He was meant to be insurance in the case that we are defeated. Although now, it seems our positions have been reversed." Xenovia gritted her teeth.

"But wait... Freed Sellzen is associated with the Fallen Angels, isn't he!" Irina realized.

"That's another thing you have to know about." A knock on the door stopped his explanation. "And that's Rias now." He opened the door to reveal Rias and her Queen. "Please tell me my mother didn't see you come in here."

"Of course not. Now, I assume that these are the emissaries?" Introductions were short and terse, as expected. Rias turned to the room's final occupant. "I assume that this is your...colleague, Issei-kun?"

"Yep."

"The same colleague who mistakenly incapacitated these emissaries?" The doubt was evident in her voice, which made sense, considering that while Minnie could qualify as an unearthly beauty, she still had the appearance of a petite young girl.

"Believe me, she is more than capable." He said dryly. "I've already told the two of them about our run-in with Sellzen, but not the entire story."

"Then I shall explain. But before that, I must tell you that I have invited another to join us. Well, honestly, he invited himself. He should be along shortly."

As if on cue, the window of his bedroom slid open, and all six of them (well, five of them seems that Minnie had already seen him coming), whirled to the newcomer. Sitting on the windowsill without a care in the world. was a handsome young man with dark silver hair and light blue eyes. He wore a dark green V-neck shirt, a black leather jacket, and a pair of red and black jeans with a silver chains drooping down over them.

Issei mentally groaned. _Oh sure, come on in! It's not as if there's not enough people in here, anyway!_ Truth be told, having four beautiful girls (and Minnie), in his room was one half of his greatest fantasies. But now that this guy had barged in, the illusion was unfortunately lost forever. "And, who are you?"

"Name's Vali. Azazel sent me to this location. Oh, Rias, was it? Azazel told me to tell you, 'he beat your high-score', whatever the hell that means."

Rias sighed and raised a hand towards Vali. "Everyone, Vali here will be the representative of the Grigori for this entire affair."

Vali smirked. "The boss sent me here to give you guys a little back-up. He somehow thought that without me, you won't stand a chance. And frankly speaking, for the most part he's right. He'll wipe the floor with you guys, except..." he trailed off, his eyes roving over all of them, before settling on Issei. "You, you're strong. Stronger than these people. And yet you are completely human. I find that fascinating. And as for you..."

His gaze rested on Minnie, who looked every bit the innocent and adorable little girl, perched on top of his desk, swaying her legs back ad forth. "What are you supposed to be? You're not human or Devil, but your power..." His grin grew to wicked proportions. "Your power is magnificent!"

Issei and Minnie exchanged a glance, one anxious, the other amused. Before he could say anything, Minnie floated off of her perch, placing herself at Vali's height. "A dragon, hmmm...?" she muttered before smirking. She flew back to Issei's side. before regally declaring, "I like this one, Onii-chan! Can I keep him?"

"Only if Azazel-san allows it." Issei replied sardonically.

Minnie giggled before once again addressing Vali. "You're not ready to know what I am, Vali-kun! But you are right about one thing. We're strong. Probably stronger than that little Angel."

"Then why don't you take care of him yourself?" Akeno couldn't help but ask.

"Because it's really not my problem." Minnie admitted. "I'm just helping Onii-chan, and he just doesn't want his house turned into a warzone. And if I fought Koka-chan, that's exactly what's gonna happen. So what happens to him is really up to you guys."

Issei didn't really feel the need to deny anything she said, because he knew she was right. It really was not his problem whether Kokabiel is captured or not. He just wanted him the hell out of Kuoh.

Rias broke the ensuing silence by taking the opportunity to relay the entirety of the situation to Xenovia and Irina. Of course, there was a moment of disbelief, but it wasn't as if they had any other option at the moment. "So, now that is out of the way, shall we discuss our next course of action?"

"I agree." Irina nodded. "It's good having so many people against one enemy. But we still need to know what he's planning to do next."

"We currently have Freed Sellzen locked up, perhaps he knows something?"

"Not likely." Vali interjected. "Kokabiel isn't the brightest bulb out there, but even he wouldn't give sensitive information like that to someone as unreliable as Sellzen. Besides, it'll take too long to pry aything useful out of him. I think you're looking at this in the wrong direction. Why did Kokabiel risk Freed in order to steal Excalibur Rapidly?"

"Well, it is a powerful weapon. If Kokabiel wants to start a war between the three factions, seven of the most powerful Holy Swords in existence would be invaluable against the Devil side." Rias surmised.

"No, I believe it is more than that." Xenovia stated. "Gremory-san, you said that Valper Galilei is here with Kokabiel?"

"Yes. Do you know something about him."

"The Holy Sword project is well-known to us; it is a horrendous stain on the Church's history. But more pertinently, we know of his expertise and obsession with Holy Swords. I believe that this crusade for the Excaliburs is more than just amassing power. The conclusion that comes to mind, is that he wishes to gather all seven Excaliburs, in order to reforge the original Excalibur from the Arthurian legends."

"If all Kokabiel wanted was to stir up conflict, then there are a dozen other artifacts and relics that would do the same thing, without having to go to the trouble of stealing more than one." Irina added. "By merging together the seven Excaliburs, Kokabiel will gain one of the most powerful weapons ever created. And Valper Galilei is one of the few men with the skill to make that happen."

"This is all well and good, but we can't do anything until we can actually find them."

"That's not a problem." Vali answered. "Azazel's been watching this town for weeks, he knows exactly where Kokabiel is hiding. An abandoned building on the south side of town. Scheduled for demolition, but I guess health and safety isn't exactly Kokabiel's priority."

"So we have the where, the what and the why. Problem is our objective is inside a swarm of enemies. And it's not as if we can just ask nicely.

Akeno made her suggestion. "We need somebody to act as bait. Altogether, we have three targeted relics, and if Kokabiel wants them enough to send a crazy bastard like Freed to go hunting for them, he won't be able to resist the temptation."

"I hate to say it, but I have to agree." Rias grimaced. "However, the question now is who will undertake the risk?"

"Xenovia and I can do it!" Irina volunteered. "This is what we were originally here for anyway!"

"No, you idiot." Issei retorted. "Bait is no good if the fish eats it before it can be pulled up. No offense to either of you, but against Kokabiel, you'd have your asses handed to you. We need him delayed and detained until back-up gets there."

"Or we could use a less roundabout method." Vali drew attention to himself. "Getting the good general's attention is all well and good, but he's a sly one. Now that his lap dog has been captured, he'll put precautions in place against any kind of trap or ambush."

"Is there a point to this, or do you actually have a suggestion?" Rias asked impatiently.

"I'm just saying, if I've learned anything from Azazel, it's that sometimes, you have to be a bit more... creative." Vali's smiled, a genuine smile full of wicked excitement.

* * *

The door to an underground chamber was flung open, revealing a man with midnight black hair, pointed ears and menacing red eyes. One could keep his features handsome, but only if the cold malice marring them. Despite the subterranean location, Kokabiel still had to take an instant to adjust his eyes to the light emanating from below.

The light was being radiated by three swords. The first of these swords carried a blade which was unbelievably thin and translucent, almost seemingly made of glass, but one only needed a glance to know the strength in its steel. In contrast to its fragile appearance was a long clunky hilt and pommel, not unlike the handle of a baseball bat.

The second sword, if it could even be called that, was just as bizarre. Its form was like a Western rapier, but that was where the similarities ended. A golden helical structure rose from the guard, spiraling along the length of the blade, completely encasing it, effectively rendering the sword edge useless. A similar silver spiral wrapped around the hilt.

The third object, could barely be called a weapon. 'Ornament' would be a better description of it. It was a simply a bar of steel, and it wasn't even sharpened. In fact, the entire sword looked as if it were child-proofed. The blade, the guard, the hilt, all of its edges were rounded. Clearly, this was not made for combat.

A seven pointed star marked their positions on the ground, four spots remaining vacant. In the centre of the circle, was on old, round, balding man, kneeling on the ground, his eyes closed and his hands close together in prayer. He was chanting, each verse seemingly increasing the intensity of the light of the swords. After several verses, the incantation was finished and the light died down.

The old man rose with difficulty, his advanced age having taken its toll on his joints, but Kokabiel made no offer to help. Nevertheless, he offered a cheery greeting to his visitor. "Ah, you are just in time, Lord Kokabiel. I have just finished synchronizing Transparency, Nightmare, and Blessing, in preparation for fusion. Has Freed succeeded in his mission to retrieve Rapidly?"

"Freed Sellzen has failed, Galilei." Kokabiel's voice was even. "He is currently in custody of the Devils overseers of this backwater village."

Galilei's only facial response was to raise an eyebrow. "Dear me, what has that young lad done to himself now?"

"His battle with the Orthodox priest caught the attention of the Gremory's peerage. Seems like they're still holding a grudge from their last encounter. The monitoring spell I placed on him went inactive right around the area of the educational institution they are using as a base, so it's safe to assume that that is where he is being held."

"And Excalibur Rapidly?"

"Location is currently unknown. If Freed hasn't yet killed the priest, then fantastic. Otherwise..."

Before their alliance, Kokabiel had only heard of Galilei by reputation. However, once he began his plan against Azazel's doctrine of peace, he immediately sought out the excommunicated priest and researcher. If he was completely honest, he wasn't sure what tomake of the old man once he had found him. He seemed to be a harmless, affable old man with a fascination for Holy Swords.

Then they started working together.

Behind that mask of congeniality was a blend of madness and ruthlessness. It could be said that the man named Valper Galilei was a perfect example of a scientist, except fo the fact that what he pursued was not the truth behind the world. His infatuation was with Holy Swords, and more specifically, Excalibur, and he would do anything to realize his fantasy. And this obsession broke through any facade he could conjure.

His face was set in stone, the rage evident in his aged features. Kokabiel could honestly sympathize. Despite his deep hatred for anything that came from the Church, he could not deny the power behind the Excaliburs. Such incredible strength absolutely did not belong in the hands of lowly Devils.

Soon enough, the experience of both men dispelled their disgust and anger, allowing them to access their logic and reason. "So, Lord Kokabiel, what is our next move?"

"Commence fusion of the Excalibur fragments we possess. We can't afford to lose anymore of our firepower, especially since the search for Excalibur Ruler hasn't been successful. Once you've finished, I will attack the Devils directly, and I'll send a squadron to take care of that little pesky little Magician they've allied themselves with."

"What of the other three fragments?"

"I'm afraid their retrieval will be an auxiliary objective. This entire mission would be worthless if the emissaries decide to leave before we've killed the Devils."

Kokabiel could see the frustration in Galilei's face but it was quickly reined in by control tempered by decades of experience. "Very well. Complete fusion will take several minutes, and-"

A sensation of a thousand needles brushed over Kokabiel's skin, the familiar feeling of the backlash of falling wards. Galilei looked up distressed. "The ability to break powerful wards in a single blow... Excalibur Destruction! I'm certain of it!"

 _So they opted for a pre-emptive strike... How brave, if not very smart._ This compound was crawling with his subordinates, they'll never leave the place alive. That was what he assumed. Unfortunately, the falling wards meant that he did not sense anyone coming in, or rather, that _no-one_ came in.

A magic circle enveloped the entire compound, and they vanished.

* * *

An outsider would call this plan wasteful and downright insane.

Finding the building Kokabiel had appropriated as a hideout was easy enough, but scouting out the area with familiars revealed the difficulty in infiltrating it, at least in a way that was subtle. They couldn't very well start a fight with a cadre-class Fallen Angel in the middle of Kuoh, after all. So they moved the battlefield.

Teleportation is a staple spell to learn, no matter what type or system of magic is used. For that reason, it is often used as a training exercise. A spell that takes one from Point A to Point B is not that complicated, and after sufficient practice, it can be as easy as walking through a doorway.

Teleporting somebody else, is another story.

If teleporting oneself is like walking through a door, forcibly transporting someone else is like trying to shove them through a closed doorway while they're resisting with every bit of their strength. One needs more control, more power and more time, and that is why mages generally don't just teleport their enemies out of sight and out of mind. But as with everything, there is always a brute force method.

 _"Now!"_

Issei's eyes flashed open, and released vast amounts of energy, which was immediately channeled into the one-hundred-meter wide magic circle inscribed into the earth. Positioned in the four other points of a pentagram were Rias, Vali, Sona and Irina.

What if the target wasn't a living thing, but instead, a structure that contained them? It seemed counter-intuitive , but magic worked by altering the properties of the reality of a certain target, in this case, Kokabiel's compound. Everything inside it is a property of the compound's reality, and technically speaking, is not affected, because it is a separate property from the target. All they were doing with this spell was to change the property of 'location'.

Granted, the energy needed to teleport an entire building wasn't exactly small, but for Issei, it was no problem.

The circle crackled with energy, as space-time was torn open, allowing an entire three-storey building to fall into its new location. Of course, since the spell called for the entire building, the lower section of it, the basement was encased in dirt. Broken pipes leaked water and wires sparked as they were torn from their original fixtures. The sudden lack of a sturdy foundation caused the collapse of one of the building's walls, revealing several Fallen Angels trying to stabilize themselves.

 _Time for part two._ As one, Vali, Rias and Issei released their attacks, in the form of rays of energy, the **[Power of Destruction]** , and a torrent of white flames respectively. The building exploded from the assault. Frenzied shrieks rang out as the Fallen erected barriers to defend themselves, only a few of them being successful.

 _"Did it work?"_

Issei looked at the carnage they had caused before picking up the paper beside him. "Akeno-san, it worked perfectly."

 _"Great. In that case, me and Quarta-san will make our way there as fast as possible."_

"Be alert! That wouldn't have taken all of them out." Vali's voice rang out.

Vali had told them of the basic make-up of Kokabiel's faction, which was what they owed their success to. While Kokabiel's ideology were shared by a large number of Fallen Angels, few were stupid or courageous enough to stand against the combined influence of Azazel and his generals, even though Kokabiel was a powerful Fallen Angel by his own right.

As a result, the few who did follow him into exile were the outcasts and the inexperienced. They're disorganized, and haven't been to a real battle for years. They weren't an army, hell, you couldn't even call them a regiment or a squadron. The most accurate term for them was a mob, numbering in the low hundreds. And half of them weren't even here.

But they were certainly enthusiastic.

Before the smoke even cleared, spears of light rained down on them. Variations of barriers were quickly conjured for their defense, except for Sona. Someone else came to her aid, in the form a silver, full-body mirror.

The Sacred Gear **[Mirror Alice]** , materialized in front of Sona, absorbing the incoming holy spears, before shattering, and unleashing double the absorbed energy at the lower levels. The concentrated beam of light drilled straight through the basement floor, creating a three meter diameter hole in its side, steaming because of the molten earth and metal.

"Good work, Tsubaki." said Sona.

Blurs of black feathers began to fly out of the wreckage. The surviving Fallen Angels rose up with a vengeance, spears in hand, ready to wreck havoc on their enemies. And yet once again, their advance was halted, this time by a wall of flame that engulfed them completely.

The Fallen Angels had been caught completely off-guard, the disorienting relocation and the subsequent barrage of overwhelming attacks had stripped them of what little organization they had. Even the senior Fallen, with six or eight wings, were affected by the ensuing frenzy and panic.

That is, until their leader made his appearance.

Angels with twelve wings are ferocious; they are absolute. They are undeniably Heaven's most destructive weapons. Kokabiel was one such Angel. He rebelled against his brethren, and in doing so, he sacrificed the blessing of God centuries ago. But that time was not spent sitting idly by. Kokabiel's fanaticism drove him to regain the power he had forsaken, and beyond. His desire for the supremacy of the Fallen Angels pushed him to new heights of strength. Each black wing was a striking reminder of his might. The might he was about to release unto them.

An ocean of light burst into life above their heads. It had no shape or form, only a direction. The light descended, an amorphous hand curling around the ruined building, and for the first time, the white flames were completely forced back.

 _What?! W-What the hell is happening?_ Issei thought panicked. But he already knew the answer.

Willpower was the fuel that fed his powers. He willed the flames to burn the building and the enemies within it, but Kokabiel's desire to expel the flames was greater than Issei's desire to consume him.

The light encompassed the entire building before dissipating outwards, pushing away every single one of their attacks, revealing the leader of this resistance hovering above them, his twelve black wings fully extended. He looked down on them, the way one might look on disgusting little insects that needed to be exterminated.

"I suppose I should have expected such a dishonorable tactic. Though it pains me to admit it, while I have always despised you Devils, I've always had a grudging respect for how you would prioritize your own kind. Whatever petty squabbles you had, you set aside and banded together against other races. I could sympathize with that view. But to think that you would all stoop so low as to ask for the aid of enemies. How far have you fallen, Gremory?" Kokabiel taunted, his voice dripping with condescension.

"Your machinations in our territory has forced my hand." Rias declared with matching arrogance. "You are far too fixated on the past, Kokabiel, and that will be your downfall."

"Stupid little Devil. You think this world belongs to your weak and pathetic generation? You are a spoiled, placid little girl. And as for you two..." He looked to Irina and Xenovia, who had just arrived along with Akeno. "Look at you, clueless little soldiers who don't even know the folly of their faith."

"You have no right to lecture us about faith, you heathen." Xenovia snarled. "You turned your back on God because of your pride and lust for power. You can never understand our devotion!"

Unexpectedly, Kokabiel began to laugh. It wasn't dark and menacing chuckles, but genuine amusement. "Oh, this is pitiful. Truly, I feel sorry for you little lost lambs. Really, a brilliant example of the blind leading the blind. Very well, allow me to reveal the deception hidden within your worship. The real reason I fell from Heaven."

"Everyone knows why you fell, Kokabiel." said Irina. "You wanted to keep the war going, you were so convinced that you could win, and you were so against the armistice that you attacked the other Seraphs. God himself ordered Michael to cast you out of Heaven!"

"You really do not know the entire story, you foolish girl. Yes, Michael cast me out by his own hand, but it was not under the command of God. At that point, Michael had already usurped my Father's throne, and had taken control of Heaven. If my Father was still with me, I have no doubt that he would have agreed. But Michael is a cowardly dog, lost without his master."

"What blasphemy are you spouting? Only God can sit upon the throne of Heaven!"

"Oh, you caught that? Well, you heard correctly." Kokabiel's smile beacame increasingly malevolent, enjoying the shock and confusion his words were creating. "The Devils weren't the only ones to lose their leaders. The Four Great Satans fell during the final battle, but at a great cost."

 **Impossible! This idiot is ranting about nonsense!**

Issei didn't have time to ask Seraphina to elaborate, because Xenovia had already begun her charge. But he noted that it was not Excalibur Destruction she wielded. Instead, her current weapon of choice was just as huge, but it had a simpler appearance. The majority of its wide blade was blue, with the cutting edges colored gold. The sword had a semi-circular guard running on one side of the handle.

However, that was not the most striking aspect of this weapon. Issei, as well as everbody present, could feel the sheer pressure the sword was exerting. It was a hundred, perhaps a thousand times stronger then Excalibur Destruction. The immense energy seemed to fully reflect the wishes of its wielder: to completely annihilate the enemy before her.

Even Kokabiel seemed surprised, but not at all intimidated. The Fallen Angel did not allow his shock to last. He almost casually batted away Xenovia overhead swing, and immediately shot out his hand to grasp her by the neck.

"Durandal? So they actually found a suitable wielder. I had considered stealing it instead, but I couldn't risk it becoming too fickle. But I suppose now I should thank you for delivering it to me. In any case, your wrath and your aversion to the truth has let to your demise, little girl." Kokabiel raised his spear, but a purple cord latched itself to his wrist. "Hm?"

The cord originated from a black gauntlet in the shape of a malformed lizard. Saji used **[Absorption Line]** to pull back on Kokabiel's wrist, with the help of Tsubasa. Of course, such a trivial obstacle wouldn't mean much to him, but they only needed a distraction as short as a millisecond.

 **[Vanishing Dragon Balance Breaker]**

All Issei could see was a blur of blue and white and suddenly Xenovia was coughing and wheezing on the ground and having in front of Kokabiel was a figure clad in gleaming white armor encrusted with blue jewels. On its back were segmented wings made of blue light, releasing a steady stream of particles.

"And let us not forget, Vali Lucifer."

 _Wait, Lucifer?!_

"You, probably the biggest fool out of this lot. Scorned your whole life and now you're reduced to picking fights with anything that can thrw a punch. Willing to do anything to get yourself killed at the hands of the strongest enemies."

In comparison to Kokabiel's mockery, Vali's face was calm, almost serene. "Listen, Kokabiel, I really don't want to bet the strongest." Vali held up a clenched fist in front of him. "I want to fight the strongest in this universe. Win or lose, I don't care. The battle is what I seek.

"But enough about me... This isn't like you, Kokabiel. You're stalling. Why?"

Kokabiel smiled. "I was wondering why you hadn't said anything earlier. Yes, this kind of grand-standing is not really my forte, but I had to improvise. The ritual, It's taking a bit longer than I had expected."

The basement exploded with light, enough to blind all of them momentarily. Several crashing noises can be heard, before a streak of white emerged from the wreckage, right into Kokabiel's hand. The light died dwon to reveal a mangled excuse for a sword. Kokabiel twirled the metal in his hand, brandishing it in conjunction with his spear of light. "Now then Vali, allow me to grant you desire!"

The Fallen Angels had begun their counterattack.

* * *

What followed could only be called a battle in the loosest sense of the word. A more accurate description would be a giant fucking mess. No strategy, no tricks, just a straight out brawl.

The constant bombardment from afar slowed the progress of the Fallen Angels, but only for so long. Soon enough, the higher tiered Angels were able to break through, but they were intercepted by the melee fighters. Wounded and disoriented as they were, even Low-Class Devils were a match for them. Of course, Issei's supplements had a hand in that as well.

The Vatican emissaries were no slouches either. Irina used Excalibur Mimic to great effect, dancing around multiple opponents, constantly transforming her weapon from a sword to a whip to a dagger. Her opponents couldn't read her movements. Just as they try to strike or counter, her style switches with her weapon. It was a testament to her versatility as well as her skill at handling the Holy Sword.

Xenovia was a whole other story. If her friend was an untouchable whirlwind, Xenovia was a relentless hurricane. The wielder of Durandal plowed into her foes with reckless abandon. The weaker Fallen Angels did not even get a chance to meet its wicked blade, as they were crushed and blown away by the overwhelming force it exuded. It became so oppressive that Rias and Sona's peerages were instinctively avoiding her as they moved across the battlefield.

On the other side of the battlefield, Kiba Yuuto was enacting his own agenda. His goal was clear in his mind. He knew exactly who carried out the fusion ritual, and he knew where the fused Excalibur came from. He was there, the man that caused so much pain and death, and did it like it was a science experiment. His reason for becoming a Devil.

He could still hear them, and see them in his mind. Even after so many years, the memories good and bad, have never faded. Each of their faces, each one belonging to someone who gave their life so he may live, they were all burned into his brain. He will never forget their sacrifice, and he would never forget what he had to do to repay them.

He used his increased speed to rush past the enemy. He knew he was supposed to fight them as well, but he had faith that his comrades could take care of themselves. He could only hope that his King could forgive him for his insubordination. But this was the greatest chance he would get, and if he let it slip away, he would never forgive himself.

He reached the opening created by Tsubaki's **[Mirror Alice]** and leaped through it. Upon entering he instantly ducked under the bolts of energy, rolling past the magic circles that were immediately conjured to assault him. In a split second reprieve, his blue-grey eyes assessed the situation in the room.

Valper Galilei was in the center of the darkened room, flanked by a four-winged Angel and a pair of human mages. The Fallen readied a spear, but Galilei grabbed his arm to cease action. "Stop. This does not have to be a bloody affair." He walked out ahead of his guards, completely relaxed, smile affixed to his face. "Kiba, my boy, you have grown."

"Don't talk to me like we're old friends, you bastard!"

"You mean to tell me we are not? After all we have suffered through in the past?"

"What _we've_ suffered?! How dare you speak as if you understand our suffering?! How dare you stand there as if you're innocent?" Kiba couldn't help but let the rage out. "Do you feel anything, any remorse for the lives you've taken?"

"What an absurd thing to ask. Of course I feel remorse. Not a day goes by when I don't grieve those poor children. So much potential gone in an instant. It would take an inhuman monster to not be saddened by that tragedy. But I've come to understand that it was a necessary evil."

"Necessary...?"

"Yes! Don't you see? True greatness can only come from times of great adversity. Only the strong may survive such harsh conditions. By culling the herd, the chances for true talent arising are maximized. You need only look at yourself to realize the truth! The Devil's may have corrupted you, but one cannot deny that your abilities with your sword, and your Sacred Gear, have grown Holy Sword Project may have failed, but _you_ are a resounding success!"

Kiba, having stayed silent throughout all of this, was gritting his teeth, his palms having split open from the force of his clenched fists. "Culling the herd..." he muttered, his head bowed to hide his face. "You're right, Galilei. I survived. I survived and I have grown stronger, and it's probably because of what happened on that day. But there's something you got wrong.

"I wasn't the strongest out of everyone. Quite the opposite actually. I was the youngest, the weakest out of all of them. But that's precisely why I am so strong now. They gave their power to me so I may live."

A dull grey aura enshrouded Kiba, the excess energy activating Kiba's Sacred Gear. A dozen swords embedded themselves into the floor and the walls, steel of all shapes and sizes growing like silver weeds all around them.

"These swords belong to them, just as they do to me. This isn't just a personal vendetta, and I'm not stupid or self-righteous enough to claim that this is justice. Vengeance is what I seek for them, and with your death, my friends will finally be able to rest."

* * *

Vali was starting to get annoyed.

Initially, he had been quite excited about this battle. It's not every day one gets to test their strength against a twelve-winged Angel after all. But if he were honest, so far Kokabiel had been a disappointment.

Not that the battle was in anyway easy, merely a matter of personal preference.

Kokabiel flew towards him from above, the Fused Excalibur poised to strike. Vali turned to meet his blow, but an instant before they clashed, the figure disappeared. Of course, Vali had expected that and was already poised to receive an invisible slash from behind. The slash was blocked, but at that moment two specters of Kokabiel appeared before him, each one readying to thrust the sword.

Vali barely had enough time to deflect the incoming swords, but a sharp whistle in his ears made him immediately tilt his head to the left, just in time to avoid Kokabiel's invisible sword, which nicked one of the horns on his helm. Realizing that both of the specters were illusions, Vali quickly flared his blue wings and escaped their lock.

Up until now, Kokabiel had been relying solely on his physical abilities and the augmentation granted by the Fused Excalibur. The combined abilities of Nightmare and Transparency wreaked havoc on his vision, forcing him to rely on other senses as well as instinct. Excalibur Blessing had no overt effect, but it did raise the holy presence in its vicinity which, while non-lethal to Vali, was still an unneeded irritation. And of course, that was not forgetting the basic properties of the Holy Sword on its own, that is, being able to inflict serious damage, even on a half-Devil.

Now, normally Vali had no problem against his opponents using trickery and manipulative abilities in combat. Intelligence was only another measure of strength, after all. But when his current opponent was infamous for obliterating entire regiments, he couldn't help but yearn to see his true abilities.

 _Well, if he's being stingy, I suppose we'll have to force it out of him, right Albion?_ The blue jewels in on his **[Scale Mail]** glowed in response, and Vali increased his power output. That last attack accomplished something that Vali had been trying to do since he had had enough of the Fused Excalibur's powers.

Once again, numerous copies of Kokabiel appeared in the surrounding airspace, but Vali barely looked at them.

 **[Divide]**

The moment Albion finished his declaration, Vali immediately observed a drop in the quality of the illusions. All of them began to fade or becam slightly deformed. At the same time, he spotted a distortion in the air, similar to a heat haze, but Vali knew better. He rushed straight through the illusions towards the blur.

 **[DivideDivide]**

Those two additional divisions revealed a rough outline of Kokabiel's form, and Vali brought his fist down on him. As he expected, Kokabiel deflected it with ease, but it served its purpose of disrupting his illusion magic. "Aren't you getting tired of this, Kokabiel?" Vali almost sighed.

"Haha, I should have realized that relying on petty tricks would not be enough against you. Still, it was a valuable field test, and it did have aother purpose."

 _Hmm? Oh, I see._ Their high-speed aerial clashes have pushed them nearly ten kilometers above the original site. Not that far for either of them, but still far enough so that neither of them would have to worry about collateral damage. "I didn't take you for the type to worry about friendly fire."

"The Devils will die by this sword, I've already decided that. And I admit, I can't afford to waste resources for such an important mission, but it seems I can't afford to play around either."

Seven massive light spears appeared and attacked him simultaneously at tremendous speeds. Even after evasion, the spears quickly curved through the air and attacked him at impossible angles, forcing him to physically deflect what he couldn't dodge. And that was not the end of it.

Two spears flew towards him from the front and back. He twisted his body to the side, only to spot a third coming for him from below. He flared his wings to dodge, but the spear hadn't even reached his position before it unleashed a ray of light. The beam struck him in the shoulder, throwing him off-balance. The two earlier spears launched their own barrage of lasers, and the explosions covered him in smoke.

He could hear Kokabiel's distant voice. "I hear that **[Divine Dividing]** can split anything it comes into contact with. Does that mean tactics like this are disadvantageous for you?"

A flap of his wings cleared the smoke from his vision. Vali looked around him. The glowing spears were stationary for now, but he knew that a single thought could accelerate them. The lasers they could fire were already powerful, but it seems the influence of Excalibur Blessing made them much more potent against him. And to top it all off, he knew Kokabiel was still holding back.

 _Now this is more like it!_

The White Dragon Emperor advanced.

* * *

 **Yeah, sorry about the delay, but believe it or not, I actually do give a shit about my education. Which is why I really can't promise anything in regards to a date for the next chapter.**

 **Not a lot more to say, a rather straightforward chapter here. I do hope that I've recreated Vali's personality here, because honestly the only things I usually get from him are condescension and bloodlust. Ah well, I'm open to suggestions.**

 **Also, maybe it's just me, but I'm a sucker for a good villainous monologue.**

 **In other news, 400 favorites, and 500 followers! You guys really have too much time on your hands. (Pot meet kettle)**

 **Until next time, bitches!**


	14. Chapter 14: Detonation III

The First Flame

 **I'm baaack! Happy May Day!**

 **(ducks beneath weapons, food items and various appliances)**

 **Uhh...I'm sorry?**

 **Highschool DxD is mine, ALL MINE! HAHAHAHAH!... Not.**

 **Chapter 14: Detonation III**

A storm of light met forests of steel. Sparks bursts into the air like rain, coinciding with the harsh clangs of metal. Every now and then, the sound of collisions were marked by the shrieks of torn and crumpling metal, but they didn't have any effect on the rhythm of the fight.

Kiba fended off attacks from two Fallen Angels, one with four wings, the other with six, all the while avoiding magical assaults from Galilei's defenders. Such numbers were an obvious disadvantage, but luckily, any reinforcements were unlikely, considering the chaos outside the building. Kiba's current mood didn't help anyone either. All he wanted, all he needed, was Valper Galilei's head removed from his shoulders, and these obstacles only fueled his determination.

A trio of wind blades raced towards Kiba's back, but he never flinched. He willed his own blades to shatter, throwing the Fallen off-balance. Spinning on his heel, he summoned **[Replenish Calm]** , using the oddly-shaped silver sword to nullify absorb the wind magic in a well-aimed slash. With the same movement, another sword appeared in his hand, just as **[Replenish Calm]** vanished.

This new sword was a blocky and wide two-handed broadsword. He slammed the tip into the earth, and almost immediately, a supersonic shock wave burst into a spherical dome, pushing back the Fallen Angels by a good ten meters. The wave was the work of another product of the versatility of, **[Sword Birth]**. The sword **[Impact Release]** had one simple but effective function, to release concussive force once it strikes another surface.

Kiba lunged for the six-winged Fallen, who had unfurled his wings to retreat, but not quickly enough. Kiba's blow wasn't fatal, but it did succeed in severing his enemy's right leg from the knee down. Ignoring the gush of blood and the roar pain, Kiba continued his assault.

His instincts warned him of danger, and he just barely dodged the furious attack. As it was, he wound up with a deep gouge in his upper arm, steaming due to the effects of holy energy. Already, he could feel it weakening his body. He reacted with a swing of **[Holy Eraser]** , which was easily blocked. He leaped back, as the four-winged fallen came to the defense of his maimed comrade, who was currently trying to stem the blood flow.

The Fallen no longer had the advantage in numbers, now that he had to actively defend another vulnerability, but his frenzied slashes made up for that. Despite his best efforts, Kiba was pushed back, straight into the enemy's trap.

He placed one foot backwards, and a bright orange magic circle appeared on the ground. He sensed the rising heat straight away, but he only partially avoided the trap, ending up with a nasty burn mark on his left arm and the left side of his torso.

Kiba did not have any time to breathe, as the Fallen Angel continued to advance. His spear had changed its shape, becoming longer, skinnier and denser. The spear was thrust in a flash, the light piercing his right wrist, making him falter due to the extreme pain of the holy weapon. Kiba was pushed to his knees, and the spear driven further in.

Once again, he was stabbed in his left arm this time. He raised his head and saw the six-winged Fallen, using his wings to stay upright. Together they forced him to lean back on his knees, ensuring that he doesn't escape their grasp.

"Enough!" Galilei called out. "Not yet! Allow me to speak to the boy!"

Anyone could see tthe Fallen Angels physically struggling to obey Galilei. They wanted Kiba dead, here and now, and they had little patience for some old, human scientist's stupid experiments. But they eventually deferred to him. One of them grabbed iba by his blond locks and forced him to look up at Galilei.

"Kiba... why must you fixate on revenge? You dishonor your seniors who gave their lives for you to shine above them. Wouldn't a better tribute to their memory be to simply grow as strong as possible like they would have wanted? It was due to my guidance that you have reached this power, and I can help you reach heights you could have never imagined!"

"The only way... that you could help me get stronger, is when your death frees me from my burden."

Galilei clicked his tongue. "We could have done this civilly, Kiba. You have great potential. Your Sacred Gear means that you were born to wield swords, not to mention your surprising aptitude towards Holy Swords. Not to mention your inheritance from your predecessors. But no matter. You will still make a worthy contribution. **[Sword Birth]** will prove to be invaluable to our research. And your body will be studied as an example for future generations."

"I think I've heard enough."

The magicians did not even have time to be surprised. Dark crimson energy ran up their bodies like lethal, overwhelming vines of acid. The **[Power of Destruction]** corroded the magicians' flesh and bone until there was nothing but dust.

At the same time, the flooring beneath the two Fallen Angels restraining Kiba flashed red, before disappearing completely, only leaving a few wisps of dust. The sudden loss of a solid surface had them bewildered and falling halfway through the floor, stunned and vulnerable. The instability caused the spears in Kiba's arms to shift and him to groan in pain, but he shrugged it off.

Kiba threw his body backwards so he was in line with his captors. With a twist of his wrists with the nimbleness gained from hours of sword training, he succeeded in gripping the light spears piercing him, disregarding the smoke and stench of burning Devil flesh. Kiba roared and shoved the light spears through his assailants' chests. As soon as the spears shredded their hearts, they dissipated as their creators took their last breath.

Kiba raised his head, having already placed the dead enemies out of his mind. Standing in front of him, tall, regal and beautiful was his master, his King, her expression absolutely furious. It was the very image of a Devil come to collect a soul.

Galilei himself had cowered on his knees in the face of such wrath. However, Rias wasn't even looking at him at the moment. Of course not, he wasn't armed, he wasn't a prominent magician like Issei, he wasn't a threat. Something that wasn't worth her time. Something beneath her. Just another human.

Rias' gaze left him, and landed on the crouching priest struggling to fill his lungs with oxygen. "As for you... Haven't you wreaked enough havoc tonight?" With those words, the Gremory crest appeared on Valper Galilei's chest and pulsed strongly. Galilei fruitlessly attempted to remove the insignia of light, but he couldn't even attempt a counter measure. His eyes rolled up to the back of his skull, and he fell forward on his face.

Kiba stood up, a sword appearing in his shaky, blood-soaked hand, and started walking towards the unconscious Galilei, but a slender hand caught him by the shoulder.

"No, not today."

"Rias-buchou, please allow me to do this. You know how important this is to me." Kiba didn't try to break out of the weak hold, not because he didn't have the strength, but because he did not want to defy his master any more than he already had.

"Honestly, I couldn't care less about what's important to you. Because right now my priority here is the life of my Knight."

"But Ri-"

A sharp crack rang out, as Rias' palm struck Kiba's cheek. Ordinarily a blow like that would have been nothing. But given Kiba's weakened state and numerous injuries, as well as the sheer shock he felt, it was enough to bring him to his knees.

Rias knel next to him, and clutched him by the collar. "Look at me Kiba. Actually, no. Don't look at me, look at him." She forcefully turned his head, so he was staring at Galilei's prone form.

"See that, Kiba? That's the target of your revenge. The one you're trying to kill. A pathetic, drooling obsessive that could be defeated by a normal human. So what does that make you?"

"I've long since understood the irrationality of my vengeance. but it is not meant to be. This is my duty to my friends, buchou, to pay back the suffering they received." he argued.

"This is not fulfilling your obligation, this is _your_ vendetta alone! It's clear to me now, that this hate has been growing ever since I found you and I have done nothing to stop it. And that is my fault, but I shall take responsibility for it, starting now."

As she spoke, another circle hovered over Galilei, one that Kiba recognized immediately. "No!" He lunged towards him, and Rias made no move to make him stop. She didn't have to. Kiba's sword buried itself in the floor as Galilei vanished. "He is mine to kill!"

"Rant and Rave as much as you want. But you will not be the one to slay Valper Galilei. You won't even be the one to decide whether he lives or dies. That is your punishment for defying me."

Kiba made to raise his sword, but Rias' glare stopped him. "Once you finish that action, Kiba, even I will not be able to forgive it."

Without saying anything more, Rias turned her back to him, walking out of the building.

* * *

 _This is a battle. People die in battles all the time. It doesn't make it right. It doesn't mean it's good. It just means it's necessary. This is a battle. People die in battles all the time. It doesn't..._

The mantra was chanted again and again. Issei wasn't really sure it helped a bit. What did help was the fact that he didn't really have to look at any of his targets. _I guess Avi will be coming around for another talk._ He thought to himself, trying to keep his mood positive. That didn't work either.

Though, as horrible as it may sound, the aspect of this battle that depressed him the most, was not _just_ the fact that he was killing again. But the fact that it was _so easy_. In terms of ability, anyway.

In his first bout with Fallen Angels, he had barely awakened his powers for a week, with little control over them. Now, after several weeks of practice, it was like an arcade game. Point and shoot. It was just that simple. And it really shouldn't be. But every time something approached him, whether it's an enemy or a projectile, he waved his hand, and it burned away. He didn't even have to take a step.

This was probably the first time Issei had realized something that he really should have weeks ago. This was the first time he really saw how high up he was in the food chain. He wasn't just strong, he was overwhelming. Previous situations never really showed him how far above the average soldier he was, but the constant series of victims made it painfully obvious.

And he wasn't the only one who noticed. On his side, the Devils were being covered by his fireballs, allowing them to press their advance. They attacked fearlessly, their paths cleared of eased up by his attacks. The enemy couldn't get organized and get any traction. Their failures were gradually demoralizing them, their movements becoming sloppier and slower a truly vicious cycle.

There were around a eighty Fallen Angels and other soldiers affiliated with them within the compound. About twenty had died or had become incapacitated during the initial attack. Another dozen or so stayed within to tend to the wounded and use defensive magics. That left fifty people able to fight against less than a dozen devils, two swordswomen and himself. The odds were in no way even. Towards the enemy, that is.

He stayed on the ground, not confident enough in his flight skills to attack from the air, moving around the perimeter of the battle and regularly repelling and sending in attacks.

"Issei!" A frantic call drew his attention to a waving hand. "Issei, please help!"

One quick burst of fire had him at Irina's side within seconds. Complicated flight might be beyond him, but a simple point and launch was well within his abilities. "What's wrong?" Stupid question, everything was wrong. He gave her a once over and she was not in prime condition, despite how well it was going for them. Her battle suit, (which really had him questioning the integrity of the Church) was littered with cuts, thankfully none of them too deep. Her face was covered in a sheen of sweat and fresh blod and she was panting heavily.

"You have to help Xenovia! She's gonna get herself killed!"

Issei scanned the battlefield and found the blue-haired swordswoman. She was one of the few people that didn't even need his support. She was tearing bloody swathes through the small battlefield, to the point where surrounding Fallen Angels were beginning to flee from her. "She seems to handling herself pretty well." he remarked.

"That's the problem! She shouldn't be using Durandal like this, it's too dangerous for her!"

 _I should have known that such a hax item would have a drawback._ "What's wrong with it?"

"Xenovia hasn't completely mastered that sword yet, so Durandal still has a big influence on her. Durandal responds to the wishes and will of whoever wields it, and adjusts its powers accordingly. The trouble is, it doesn't care what its wielder is _capable_ of or what she's _ready_ for. Just what she wants. And after... after what Kokabiel said..."

"Then she's out for blood." Issei finished grimly. "She's a ticking time bomb, isn't she?" At Irina's solemn nod, he groaned. "What kind of damage can overuse due to her?"

"Worst-case scenario? She could die. Durandal would suck every bit of energy and leave her a shrivelled husk. And even if it doesn't she could rip apart her arms from the extreme strain. She'll never be able to use her arms again."

"Fan-fuck-tastic... What are we supposed to do about it?"

"We just have to get Durandal off of her."

"...And?"

Irina grimaced. "Durandal is picky. Not as much as the Excaliburs, but it is loyal to whoever it has chosen. It will only respond to Xenovia now. It won't allow itself to be taken without a fight."

 _Guys, you thinking what I'm thinking?_

 **If it's anything like Excalibur Rapidly, I don't see why not.** Seraphina responded. **Now that we're ready for it, it should pose no danger at all.**

"I'll take care of it." He said to Irina before charging into the fray, ignoring Irina's cry for an explanation. A quick burst of fire had him right over Xenovia. Several Fallen Angels made to attack him, but he barely looked at them before they were blasted back by a short burst of fire. He landed (more like crashed) less than two feet from Xenovia, just as she decapitated another magician.

He grabbed her arm before she could run off. Her glare was deadly, her eyes a dark yellow hue. She raised Durandal to strike down whoever dared to lay a hand on her. When she saw who had grabbed her, she stopped the swing, even though Issei was pretty sure she wanted to continue regardless of his status as an ally. "Release me this instant!"

Issei said nothing. He had to move fast. As it was, his remote attacks might be off the charts, but physically, he was still like a regular human. Xenovia could snap him like a twig at the first opportunity. He yanked the girl towards him and grabbed Durandal. He didn't manage to grab the hilt before Xenovia moved away, but he did clutch the over-sized blade.

 _"NO! GO AWAY! Heretic! Sinners! Blasphemers! Kill them all!"_

Whether Xenovia screamed those words out loud or in her head, Issei would never know. But it wasn't his greatest concern. Her screams were accompanied by the screeching of metal and a wave of nausea that invaded his mind. Or to be more accurate, _attempted_ to invade his mind.

He could feel the anger, the righteous fury exuding from the sword, and knew that all of it belonged to Xenovia's. In that moment, Issei fully understood Xenovia. She was loyal to a fault, serving with everything she had, and that unwavering loyalty has been threatened. She didn't even consider that Kokabiel was lying, her blind faith justifying her complete outrage. However, her absolute loyalty also meant that she would throw away her life to eliminate any perceived threat.

This wasn't really a completely sacrificial nature, so much as an inflated sense of obligation to her sovereign. It would not be unreasonable to call Xenovia a fanatic, if not for her capability to be civil to Devils and other parties not aligned with Church. But Kokabiel's audacious statements combined with Durandal's corrosive influence have resulted in this reckless crusade (in every sense of that word).

The tsunami of power was repelled with sheer willpower, but only just. Durandal was a malleable blade, following the mindset of destruction imposed upon it by Xenovia. The only way to strip it of its penchant for violence, was to reforge it according to the will of another.

 _You are mine, and now you will listen to me!_

Xenovia stopped shouting, and collapsed against his shoulder, but was still thrashing in her unconscious state. Issei slid one of his arms around her to hold her up, as he clasped the still-glowing Durandal with the other hand. It seemed that the Holy Sword had relinquished its grip on Xenovia, but this psychic battle was only half-finished.

Durandal was trying to imprint itself on Issei, and failing. The sword of Roland, the Paladin of the Roman Emperor Charlemagne, said to be equal to the original Excalibur. The Holy Sword triumphed over 100,000 soldiers, and if not mastered, it had to be stored in a pocket dimension to protect its wielder and allies from its offensive powers.

It never stood a chance.

Issei didn't want to master Durandal, he didn't even want to touch it. Right now, he wanted to subjugate it, to contain, to _shut it the hell up._ The sacred creation of alchemy and magic was constrained by white flame. The semblance of sentience within the sword was assaulted by the collective force of humanity. It couldn't struggle anymore. Issei had forced it into complete dormancy. It no longer radiated light, or anything, really. It was smothered by white flames, covering it like an amorphous sheath.

Issei released a breath he didn't realise he was holding. He was griping Durandal with one hand, oddly having no trouble with its immense weight. Xenovia stopped struggling against him, completely limp and exhausted.

 _Hold on, how long have we been standing here?_ Surely someone must have seen the opportunity to attack them, standing in the middle of the battlefield and with one of them now incapacitated. So why was it so quiet...?

He looked around the battlefield and saw the answer. It wasn't as if Rias and Sona's peerages had completely wiped out the opposition, even with their advantage that would have been ludicrous. It wasn't as if they didn't _try_ to attack them, he just didn't notice them.

Around him were the groaning and sobbing forms of Fallen Angels, with small remnants of flames licking their bodies. _What the hell is this?_

 **Call it an automatic mechanism. While you directed the imprisonment of Durandal, I oversaw the defense which targeted any hostile that came too close.** replied Ulrich.

 _Awesome._ But that still didn't explain the silence. He looked around and saw the Fallen Angels standing still as stone, a look on his face that took him a while to decipher. But he soon recognized for a familiar emotion. Fear.

They feared him.

He didn't know what to feel about that. He had spent the past few weeks being scared of them, but that was before he took out their brethren without a single glance in their direction. But what rattled even him was not the Fallen's reactions, but the reactions of the Devils.

Their reactions were not fearful, at least not to the same extent as the Fallen. They had already had some inkling as to his capabilites after all. What horrified him was their expressions of pain. The more durable ones, Rooks and Queens were clutching their heads, grimacing in pain, their skin steaming. The weaker ones were on their knees, burns visible on their skin

 _Oh, fuck..._ How could he have been so stupid? Durandal was a freaking _Holy Sword,_ and he just made it go berserk. He'll have to be more careful right now. Both sides were stunned, the Fallen Angels from fright, the Devils from inflicted damage. That wouldn't last forever, he needed something decisive to finish this battle.

The strongest participants in this battle were Vali, Kokabiel and himself. With the other two preoccupied in a battle of their own, he was the most powerful being here by leagues, a status that he never thought would apply to him in any situation. he couldn't count on Vali to defeat Kokabiel on his own, so before that battle ended, no matter the outcome, this had to be brought to a conclusion. But there was probably someone better than him for something like this.

Sure enough, she took the hint and flew right above them.

"Fallen Angels!" Sona's authoritative voice rang across the battlefield. "You have been cajoled into fighting a losing battle. Kokabiel promised you glory on the battlefield, when all he's done is bring you to slaughter. Your main force has been defeated by two peerages, a couple of exorcists and one human mage." More than one of the Fallen winced, but there were those whose faces contorted in anger, but none spoke up.

"Your leader will soon be defeated by the White Dragon Emperor." As if to back up her point, the sky was briefly illuminated by blue and white light, followed by the sounds of several explosions.

"This is what became of you because of such a small force. Even if a miracle occurs and you are victorious, you will incur the wrath of the Three Biblical Factions. This uprising of yours was doomed to fail the moment it began. So I present to you two options."

"The first is to continue fighting, in which case we will not show mercy we will annihilate every single one of you as is our right.

"The second is that you surrender, then attempt to betray us and probably succeed in killing some of us in the process. Should that come to pass, you will be hunted down by Angels, Devils and even fellow Fallen Angels, who wish to put an end to the anarchists who stand in the way of peace between the factions." Now all of them grimaced. Issei flaring out his power didn't help their confidence.

"The third is obvious. Realize that you have no hope of actualizing your fantasies of another Great War, and completely surrender to a fair trial under the judgement of your own leader."

Issei thought that she was a bit too condescending, and would only aggravate them, which was the last thing they wanted at the moment. But Sona's method proved effective in further demoralizing the enemy troops.

Light weapons dispersed into motes of light. The Fallen Angels came to rest on the ground, their hands raised in surrender.

There was no cheering, no cries of victory. The mood was somber, despite the inherently positive nature of the situation. Sona hovered down next to Issei, a strained smirk on her face. "Congratulations, Hyoudou-san. We just prevented the Second Great War."

"Not yet." Issei looked up into the clouds, where the distant clashes between Vali and Kokabiel. "If Vali doesn't defeat Kokabiel soon..."

"I know what you're thinking, but you have to stay here. The Fallen Angels don't fear us, they fear _you_. Should Vali be killed in battle, Kokabiel would undoubtedly be wounded and then you can battle him to end it once and for all."

"I'm not worried about Vali." Issei said, and for some reason, he completely believed it.

 _As if a dragon would be killed so easily._

* * *

Vali was having a blast, literally and figuratively.

Kokabiel's lasers proved extremely difficult to avoid and deflect. If they were sustained, he could easily divide and absorb them upon impact, but they came in short bursts lasting for less than a millisecond, and the fire rate was constantly being altered so he couldn't master the timing with **[Divine Dividing]** to coincide with the moments of impact. As such, his armor had already broken in several places, but the damage was not at all worrying. (Not that Vali was the type to worry about injuries in the first place)

Dodging them was just as challenging, since they pretty much travelled at lightspeed and the only thing he had to go on with regards to direction was to wtch whichever one was pointing at him. Which could be all of them, or none of them, _or_ some of them.

Not to mention that Kokabiel was _still_ relentlessly attacking him, even while directing the, uh, spear drones (?) into performing complex aerobatics. Inwardly, Vali couldn't help but be impressed. Kokabiel was directly engaging him in melee combat while still utilizing the powers of the Fused Excalibur, all the while keeping the drones in motion. Kokabiel was not especially known for his cunning, but he was still an Angel with millennia of experience. His mind has only grown more powerful over the years.

 _Albion... we'll have to change our approach._

Vali's wings flared and released dozens of bluish-white orbs, larger versions of the particles **[Divine Dividing]** usually radiates. The orbs flew outwards in a spherical formation for about a meter, before they all changed direction and accelerated towards Kokabiel. Vali didn't really expect the incendiaries to do too much damage to his opponent, and they didn't, but they did give him some breathing room.

As soon as he fired, he flew, not towards the Fallen Angel, but towards one of his weapons. Despite their impressive maneuverability, Vali quickly caught up to one of the drones with ease and gripped it tight.

 **[DivideDivideDivideDivideDivide]**

Vali felt the familiar rush of energy enter him, just before he crushed the construct of light. Vali continued to hunt down the modified spears, regaining lost energy for each one destroyed. Now it was Kokabiel's turn to adapt,. To make more spears would be simple, but wasteful now that Vali was set on absorbing them. Melee was dangerous as well, since one direct touch of **[Divine Dividing]** could wreak havoc on him.

Despite the inherent dangers, Kokabiel wasn't known for hesitating either, and chose to do battle directly, while keeping Vali at a distance with elongated spears. No one ever said Kokabiel played it safe.

The two of them clashed again and again, creating shockwaves among the clouds. Energy erupted between them, saturating the atmosphere with so much power it would have suffocated lesser beings in an instant.

Tales of epic battles lasting for hours, of legendary powers clashing endlessly, were complete idealizations of battles between highly skilled parties. perhaps a battle between two weak individuals would turn into a battle of attrition, but not so for Vali and Kokabiel.

Every strike had the power and control to constitute a killing blow. Their movements were very rapid, turning their match into brief races through the air interspersed with brief skirmishes that were so fast they could easily be mistaken for a single impact. Even with their massive stamina, a battle loaded with so much energy would last several minutes at the most. This kind of battle no longer depend on the level of strength. It all came down to whoever faltered first, whether in power, speed, skill or endurance. A single mistake can end it all.

Vali tripped up first, or at least he seemed to be. He had forced Kokabiel's arms to the side and kicked Kokabiel straight in the chest. He saw a false opening and flew towards Kokabiel, just as Kokabiel swung down his weapons.

 **[Half Dimension]**

The light spear in Kokabiel's size halved in size, so it only scratched the edge of his armor plating. Fused Excalibur on the other hand, was not as receptive to **[Divine Dividing]**. Vali raised his hand, but Kokabiel wove past his defense and buried the sword into his shoulder. Vali's armor slowed the blade, but the blade was still embedded in his shoulder, causing him to grunt in pain.

Kokabiel used all of his strength to push on Fused Excalibur, attempting to cut Vali in half. The half-Devil forced himself to ignore the burning sensation in his shoulder, the holy energy leaching into his blood, and grabbed Kokabiel's forearms.

 **[DivideDivideDivideDivide]**

Kokabiel could have driven the blade further, causing irreparable damage to a half-Devil like Vali, but his energy was being sucked out at an alarming rate. He made to move away, but Vali's grip tightened.

Vali flared his wings, glowing radiantly. He planted an armored leg in Kokabiel's chest and began to use his wings to retreat as fast as possible. The immense strain instantly broke Kokabiel's bones. Vali kept pulling, past Kokabiel's screams, intending to rip his arms clean off, all the while sapping his strength.

 **[You're absorbing energy way too fast.]** Vali barely heard Albion's warning.

 _That's the point, partner._

 **[Divine Dividing]** was extremely powerful on its own, being one of the Thirteen Longinus, with the capability to slay a god. But it could be overwhelmed. Like a flood crashing against a dam, Kokabiel's power surged through the Sacred Gear. Actually, a more accurate comparison for such a volatile force was probably magma threatening to burst from a volcano. Normally great care would be taken to manage this flow to prevent overwhelming the user. Not this time.

Vali continued the absorption, and made no attempt to mitigate the rate of the flow. The jewels on the **[Scale Mail]** began to flash alarmingly and the wings were now releasing a torrent of light particles, but Vali paid it no heed.

 **[You can't take anymore! I have to reset!]**

 _Go right ahead!_

The dam cracked, the volcano erupted. And when the restraining force just disappears, the energy doesn't just go away, it needs to go somewhere. Vali's armor shattered into nothingness as the Balance Breaker deactivated, and the energy being absorbed was immediately released. Violently.

The ensuing explosion blew the two apart, as the searing light enveloped them both. Vali was ready for it, though, and cocooned himself with the wings of **[Divine Dividing]** , which had the added bonus of. Kokabiel was not as familiar with the operations of the Sacred Gear, and so had no such defense. His own power brutally turned against him, he couln't even scream as his entire body was scorched by intense rays, the shockwave blowing him back, simultaneously tearing his hands off due to Vali's grip. The Fused Excalibur fell through the clouds, still within the grip of Kokabiel's torn hand.

Both combatants fell from the sky, but neither of them were so weak willed that they were not able to withstand the pain. Vali himself had suffered third degree burns around his legs and back, which were not completely covered by his wings. The reckless use of his Sacred Gear has brought him near exhaustion. Although, objectively speaking, Kokabiel was worse off by a large margin.

The rebellious Fallen Angel had lost his weapon, along with both hands. His face was marred with burn marks that went as deep as bone, having carved off his left cheek. His wings were singed and rapidly losing feathers. Blood leaked out of what remained of his mouth, hinting at the devastating internal injuries. No amount of willpower or conviction could overturn one single fact.

Vali had won.

"Even if I die..." Kokabiel growled, his voice raspy and interrupted by blood filled coughs. "Even if I die here... there will be others... who will carry out this ambition. The Three Factions will fall."

"Perhaps." Vali conceded that point. "Probability-wise, it's likely that the Three Factions will implode once more...But not by your hand. It's been fun, but this pointless tantrum has failed, Kokabiel. Surrender now, and maybe you'll live and have a chance to try again in the far future."

Kokabiel was silent, save for his strained wheezing. Vali tensed when the remains of the Fallen Angel's wings flared out, his meagre reserves being brought to the surface. " _Morior...Invictus_ "

Fast as light, Kokabiel dropped through the sky, plummeting faster than a comet.

It only took an instant for Vali to translate the Latin declaration, and another to realize that it was not a battle cry. It was his last words.

 _He's going for the heiresses!_

Vali donned his **[Scale Mail]** once again, pushing the thrusters to the limit to catch up to Kokabiel. He wouln't make it, Kokabiel was travelling far faster than he thought possible, expending all of his energy in this last ditch attempt to kick start a war. Vali was halfway to ground level, following Kokabiel's trail, and he knew that the Fallen had reached the ground already. He was about to catch up when without warning, he lost him.

Kokabiel's presence could not be felt. Which to Vali, usually meant one thing only.

Now, Vali didn't really care whether or not the heiresses lived or died, but he _was_ meant to capture Kokabiel alive if possible. And he knew that if Kokabiel were to engage _him_ in battle in his current state, the chances of Vali completing that objective would be slim to none.

And... he was half-right.

He finally reached the ground, but oddly enough, Kokabiel was nowhere to be seen.

The Fallen Angel rebels and magicians were sitting on the scorched ground, a ring of fire serving to secure them in place. The Devils were huddled together to treat their wounds. The exorcists seem to be worse off, the brunette having the blue-haired one rest on her lap. Issei Hyoudou, the mysterious magician who he was sure was not just a magician, was standing with his arms crossed, looking straight at him as if he was expecting him.

"He's not dead." Was the first thing he said.

Vali didn't need clarification."Then where is he?"

Hyoudou sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Probably wishing he was."

* * *

"Hey, Koka-chan? Can you hear me?"

Kokabiel was confused. He was flying. He spotted his targets, he readied the most powerful spear that he could muster in his condition. The Devil peerages were there, and he knew that in his state, he would most likely die in this mission. He was ready for that. Better to die to start a revolution than to live as a useless prisoner.

Then, black. And then he was in this... space, with this girl hovering in front of him. He couldn't perceive anything in this place. He had seen the Dimensional Gap once in his life, but there, the senses were inundated. Here, it was as if the very space around him was sucking up his cognitive ability. Except in the case of the girl.

He felt no pain, or anything else for that matter. He couldn't speak. He could barely think through the cloud in his mind. _Where...where am I? Who is this?_

"You've caused a lot of trouble for Onii-chan." The girl spoke up again. "But I'm not really doing this for him. Your stupid fights don't mean that much to me. Actually, I probably would have liked to see a full-on Three Faction War."

Her smile went from adorable to vicious in a heartbeat. "But you're missing the big picture Koka-chan! In such a short time, so many cool and interesting people have gathered in a single human town. Aren't you just a little bit curious about what could happen soon? What am I saying, of course you can't. You just want the same old things over and over again. And believe me, no matter who's fighting, even a war gets boring after you've seen a couple of hundred of 'em."

 _War? That sounds familiar? Wasn't I trying to do something about that?_

"Onii-chan is against cold-blooded killing, and this _is_ his territory so I suppose I shouldn't kill you. But it's really, really dangerous to keep you around. Who knows what trouble you'll bring up in the future."

Kokabiel could barely use his limited mental functions to process her words.

"Oh, who am I kidding?" The girl sagged her shoulders and sighed. "Honestly? I'm just really hungry."

By the time Minnie had released him, Kokabiel could barely remember his own name.

* * *

 **I know, I know, it's been a while! How have you guys been! I'm fine. In other news, I fucking hate being a high school student, but I know you guys don't care about that. There's really no excuse for disappearing for over a month then coming back with one shitty chapter, so I won't even bother.**

 **I know that people have enjoyed the fact that Issei, despite his power is still somewhat limited, but I had to use this opportunity to show case how far above everybody else he actually is. He's not just another underdog.**

 **As for Durandal... According to the canon, it is one of the four true Holy Swords which had the power to slay thousands of men. I'm sorry, but I just don't buy that Xenovia can use it without major side effects.**

 **What else... Oh yes! Kiba didn't get Balance Breaker, or his vengeance. That'll come in later, and for good reason.**

 **Next up, the The Three Faction Conference!**


	15. Chapter 15: Raising Temperatures

The First Flame

 **High School DxD and its bouncing, bootylicious goodness is not mine.**

 **Chapter 15: Raising Temperatures**

It was probably a universal truth, that people _hated_ therapy.

Nobody liked being confronted with their own flaws, especially not by some two-bit whackjob with a questionable education who pretends to care about your dark and twisty mind but really only cares about your cheque book.

Avi was an exception.

He had no use for money. He didn't even try to pretend to cover for his lack of education. And unlike a total stranger, he _did_ know exactly what was bothering Issei.

"Are we gonna have to do this every time we have a crisis, Avi?" Issei couldn't help but snark, as he waited for Avi to pour the tea. "Talk about my feelings and that kind of thing?"

 **"We don't have to talk about that, Issei. I already know about it. Why don't we just have a simple and pleasant conversation?"**

"You know why. Sera would just throw me back in here."

 **"Oh yes, I nearly forgot how adamant Seraphina could be."**

Adamant was one word for it. Issei may be the one in charge, but Seraphina was a woman that you could not say no to. It wasn't just that she was overly intimidating, which she was. It was her sheer, unbridled concern for him that made it impossible to refuse. Maybe other people would find it overbearing, but he couldn't help but be touched by the sincerity.

"Fine. Fire away."

 **"Doesn't work like that.** _ **You**_ **tell** _ **me**_ **what's wrong."**

Issei understood the process. Avi knew exactly what was wrong, he just wanted Issei to get it out into the open. "Alright. Was it meant to be that easy? Taking those lives?"

 **"I'm assuming you don't mean in terms of ability?"**

"Right. After...After Raynare, I knew that... that something like this would happen again. I thought that if it doesn't get any easier, that would be fine. I'm still human, I'm not going to turn into a monster." Issei hesitated before going any further.

Avi looked at him, with no emotion on his face. **"Let me ask you something, Issei. Did you enjoy killing those people?"**

"What? No! Hell no!" Issei nearly shouted before composing himself. "Of course I didn't enjoy it. I had to concentrate just to stop myself from puking. But... But the thing is, I'm not sure I regret it."

 **"Do you think you should?"**

"No." Issei answered immediately. "It's just as you said last time. They were enemies. Maybe not directly, but they would have put the entire city in danger because they wanted to started a war. It was only right that I defend what I care about."

 **"But..,?"**

"But humans don't work like that!" Issei exclaimed. "That kind of thinking is way too cold and... mechanical. And emotions don't just switch off because of reason. I mean, you hear about cops who have to kill criminals when there's no other choice, and even then they feel guilty about it. What does it say about me that I can't even regret killing so many?"

The imagined room fell silent, as Issei calmed himself, the fists resting on his lap clenched tight. After a while, Avi took a sip of his tea, and Issei mirrored the action. The taste and the warmth helped to calm him down.

 **"You are looking at this in the wrong way. You are under the assumption that cold hard logic has eliminated your sense of responsibility towards your enemies. That is only partly right.**

 **"Issei, it became very clear to me from the moment I met you that you are a man who knows what he wants. You know what your dreams are, and you will do whatever you feel is needed to accomplish them. Even if those motivations are somewhat questionable.**

 **"In this instance, your driving force was the protection of your family and your home. That was what compelled you to fight the rebel Fallen Angels, not reason. It's not that you don't care about those you've killed, it's just that you care about your family more."**

"Isn't that... I don't know-"

 **"Selfish? Perhaps it is. I feel confident in saying that you are a good man, Issei. A good man who is willing to reach for the stars but would give them up for those he cares for. But you know better than I do, that you are not perfect."**

"No... I guess not..."

 **"No human is capable of caring for the lives of everybody around them, no matter what others may say. We are imperfect. We play favorites. We have loves and we have hates, and often we are more than willing to destroy the latter."**

"What about you?" Issei couldn't help but ask.

 **"Hm?"**

"Well... You know I met Minnie, eh, Famine, a few days ago. She told me about you. How you met and how you resisted her. She's convinced that the reason you were able to hold her off is because you somehow found a way to find happiness in your very existence. You didn't try to restrain your desires. Is that true?"

For the first time, Avi looked surprised, just before he broke out into laughter. Quiet, dry chuckles, but laughter all the same. **"Well, I'll be. She spent the later part of my years asking me for reasons. I didn't think she would actually understand them. For the most part at least."**

"For the most part?"

 **"Yes. Finding happiness in one's very existence sounds good in theory, but it's quite difficult in practice. What I did to myself probably wasn't healthy, but I was determined."**

Now Issei was really curious. "You're making it sound like you did something life threatening."

 **"I did. In a sense."** Avi finished his tea, a thoughtful look on his face as he tried to think of a way to explain. **"The soul is quite... headstrong. It is the strongest imprint of who we are, and changing it as Famine suggested is like ripping it apart and piecing it together. Which, as you might have guessed is impossible. And even if it was feasible, it would most definitely be lethal and irreversible."**

"Then, how were you able to withstand her tempting you?"

 **"That's the dangerous bit. See, Issei, the soul is only slightly sentient. It is completely instinctive. Action and reaction. It loves and hates and desires whatever it wants and it can't be stopped. So I left it alone. Instead, I tampered, yes tampered, with the body and the mind, the soul's gateways into the material world."**

"Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me... you _brainwashed_ yourself?!" Issei said horrified.

 **"A crude way to put it, but yes, essentially. I constructed a feedback loop between the soul and the material world, effectively making it believe that it is constantly receiving satisfaction in order to feed the endless desires.**

 **"Of course, such an extreme measure did not come without a price. My soul was still present, but after what I had done, it had essentially become a closed system. I could still perceive its demands, but it was as if I was a spectator. I could not interfere and I could not even want to. So to say I found happiness in existence is quite inaccurate. No, I caged my existence in happiness, with myself being the warden."**

Issei could only gape in horror as Avi explained it all with a carefree smile on his face. "Does...D-Does that mean, you cut off your soul?"

 **"No."** Avi corrected. **"It is important you understand that my soul was still very much a part of me. But because of my machinations, it could no longer affect my mind and body. Desires, disgusts are there, but the responses to satisfy it are automatic and no longer interfere with how I interact with the material world."**

"Avi, that..." Issei swallowed the lump in his throat. "That doesn't seem like... happiness. It just sounds like...like-"

 **"Like ignoring the problem until it goes away, yes?"** Issei nodded in agreement. **"That's exactly what I did. I wasn't happy or unhappy. I never wanted anything, hated anything, wished for anything. Looking back, Famine wasn't completely wrong, but I didn't transcend my human instincts. I merely stepped off to the side."**

"I...I don't think I want to live like that, Avi."

Avi smiled. **"Don't worry, I wouldn't begrudge you for your honest opinions. It's not so much impressive as it is pathetic. I couldn't even regret my actions once I was finished. The ultimate self-deception."**

Issei could barely imagine it. To... trick the soul so thoroughly that it was all but disconnected from the material world. It didn't sound like any way to live. "How about now? Do you regret your actions? Do you wish you could have found another way to find happiness?"

 **"Issei, you must understand. I wholeheartedly believe that there was no other way. One of the greatest qualities of humans is the ability to desire for something greater than themselves, and that means that our greed must be infinite. To completely cut off my desire would be to abandon my humanity, which I didn't want at all in my quest for enlightenment."**

"So you went for the next best thing."

Avi fell into a somber silence, swirling his teacup and peering at the floating leaves. **"You're not a monster, Issei. You're human. It's alright to care for some things more than others. Go out and love, lust, loathe, yearn, choose. It may not be happiness, but that is life."**

* * *

Issei opened his eyes as the sunlight fell on his face, his mind still on his conversation. He didn't think that anyone would go so far for their idea of enlightenment. Self-control was inaccurate since there wasn't even anything to control. Issei had no illusions as to his perversions, which he knew were greater than usual. However he had never been ashamed of it, he's even claimed to be proud of it. While he have not had the time to indulge in it these past few weeks, he never would have thought he would be so glad to have such a strong part of his identity. He reminded himself to spend some time with Matsuda and Motohama or at the very least, take a look at his magazines again.

Right now though, there were more pressing issues. Literally.

"Minnie?"

This was something that was going to be very common in his life. The girl was dozing on his arm, her head on his chest, inhaling through her nose, and exhaling through the mouth, the small puffs of air dancing across his skin. Her hair was in a tangle, some of it resting on his face and tickling his nose. She was wearing the same sundress that she always wore, which was now crumpled up.

Hard to believe that the materialization of an ancient concept, capable of destruction greater than nuclear bombs, could look so... adorable. Did she actually need any sleep?

"Minnie?" He used his free arm to shake her shoulder, getting a few grumbles.

"...five more minutes..."

It was such a cliche line that Issei couldn't help but be dumbfounded. He stared at her for a few seconds, before deciding that as cute as this was, he still needed to get up.

Slowly, carefully, he tugged on his arm, making sure not to move Minnie. He had just about extracted his arm, and was working on laying a pillow underneath her head. Unfortunately, Minnie wasn't really willing to cooperate.

"No!" With a childish whine, Minnie swung her body around, so that her entire weight was resting on top of him, her face in the crook of his neck.

"Gah! Minnie! Please, I have school! I know that doesn't mean much to you, but it does to me!"

Minnie only groaned some more, before mumbling, "...hungry..."

"Okay, you can eat at breakfast. I'll get some food for you just let me- Ack!"

Issei couldn't continue as Minnie shocked him once more. Her mouth opened wide and her pearly teeth chomped down on his beck.

"What are you, a vampire?" She didn't draw blood, just slightly gnawing and sucking.

"Ohii-haaan..." she mumbled. She detached herself from his neck, before pushing herself to bring her face right above his. "Aren't you hungry?"

Gulp. "O-Of course. That's why you have to-"

"That's not what I mean, and you know it." As if she knew exactly what he was thinking of before, Minnie brought her face closer, her warm breath on his face, a curtain of pitch black hair falling over them. "Come on, Onii-chan. Isn't there something else you're hungry for?"

Issei felt that his chest was about to burst, along with another part of his anatomy. One of the straps of Minnie's dress fell down her shoulder, making the fabric dip to dangerously low levels. He only had to look down, to raise his arms and-

SLAM!

"Hyoudou-san! Time to wake!"

Issei threw himself in upright position, an action he really should have thought through more carefully. Because the action resulted in Minnie landing on his lap. Which was not helpful in settling down his... uh... 'enthusiasm'.

The intruder, however, was not the least bit fazed. "Apologies for the interruption, Issei-san, Minnie-san, but the masters of this house have requested that you join us for breakfast."

Minnie growled, somehow brushing off all signs of sleepiness in an instant. Staying on her position in his lap, she regarded the girl at the door coldly, switching to a sterner and more formal register. "Go ahead, girl, and inform them that Onii-chan will join them once he is dressed."

Xenovia Quarta gave a short bow, and left the room.

"Well, that killed the mood." Minnie sighed and hopped off of him, well floated really. She really didn't like moving. "Don't think we won't come back to that, Onii-chan. Sooner or later there won't be any interruptions."

Issei crashed back into his pillow, trying to get his heart rate down. He spent a minute trying to figure out why he had to deal with this.

Oh, yeah. He became immortal.

Issei could only thank whatever lucky stars he had that Xenovia had not moved in with him. Because while living with a hot girl (Minnie doesn't count) would be a dream, considering Xenovia's position, it could only end badly. Or at the least, be very complicated.

Technically speaking, the entire affair with Kokabiel was a completely unsanctioned, jurisdictional nightmare. The Church kept the theft of the Excaliburs a secret. Azazel didn't announce Kokabiel's rebellion, nor did he inform the Devil superiors or the Vatican about his temporary alliance with Rias and Xenovia and Irina. And Issei and Minnie were wildcards for everybody. Once the situation was brought under control, they all had to deal with the political fallout.

Not to mention dealing with Kokabiel after what Minnie did to him. Trial was a bit redundant after the entire ordeal, not as if Kokabiel could cooperate. He was thrown in a top security prison, along with many of his conspirators.

However, Valper Galilei was given to the Vatican. Irina escorted him to the Vatican and was charged with delivering a full report on the battle and the events leading up to it to her superiors. Xenovia was ordered to remain in Kuoh as a liaison to the other two factions.

At least, that was the official reason. Unofficially, the Vatican caught wind of how Issei had subdued the Holy Sword Durandal, after taking it from the swords woman. As a consequence, Xenovia's bond with her sword had lessened greatly. The Church ordered Xenovia to stay close to Issei and test his compatibility with Durandal, and to see if she could emulate it. Which is why she took to shadowing him everywhere.

Another reason that Nick proposed that Issei didn't dare repeat out loud, was that the Church had also heard of how Xenovia went berserk after Kokabiel's revelation. It was more than likely they wanted to reaffirm Xenovia's loyalty without risk of her going mad again while in possession of two Holy weapons.

Xenovia herself didn't have much issue with the arrangements, considering the probable crisis of faith she was currently experiencing. She was probably internalizing her turmoil, stuck between her desire to dismiss Kokabiel's words as garbage, and her instincts fighting for the opposite.

Rias and Sona didn't receive much negative fallout from their actions. If anything, they were commended for their initiative. There was one hiccup however.

Rias' and Sona's older siblings, that is two of the current Devil Kings, had asked to meet him and Minnie.

Sirzechs Lucifer and Serafall Leviathan had grown curious about the two mysterious mages who could stand on the same level as a twelve winged Fallen Angel. Ordinarily, that would mean a visit to the underworld on Issei's part. (Un)fortunately, there was a very convenient event that allowed the Satans to come to Kuoh.

Kuoh Open House.

Minnie, for her part was excited. Issei was nervous and the two Devils were hoping that their older siblings will not embarrass them. Pretty much like any other meet and greet in history. Add that to the fact that Irina was meant to return with a higher up for the conference meant that a lot of very powerful people will be coming to his town. Originally, Kuoh was a no mans land in the days leading up to the peace conference, but since every faction had already disregarded that rule, it seems nobody really gave a damn anymore.

When Issei finally dragged himself downstairs, his parents had already started eating, along with Shirone and Xenovia. Minnie had gone incorporeal, looking to steal whatever food she could when no one was looking.

"So, Xenovia-san, you said you were from Italy originally? You speak Japanese very well, if you don't mind me saying." His father asked.

"Thank you, sir. My teachers were very thorough in their instructions." Xenovia accepted the praise graciously, if quite emotionlessly.

"And very polite too? Issei? How did you say you two met?"

"She's a member of Koneko's club. We met each other there and I suppose we hit it off." Issei recited the cover story that he and Xenovia had constructed earlier. His parents wouldn't bother asking Shirone, since they knew well enough to know not to talk to her during a meal.

"Well it's good to see that you're finally making some more friends." his mother said. "I was worried that you were going to be stuck with those other perverts forever."

"Oi! Matsuda and Motohama aren't that bad." Issei defended his friends. "The-"

Issei stopped himself when he saw Minnie pluck some fish straight off of Shirone's plate, just as the Devil was about to pick it up. From Shirone's perspective, the fish seemed to vanish, but she knew better. The white haired girl shot him a fierce glare.

 _Hey, hey! Why are you blaming me for this?_ Minnie had made herself and some of her abilities known to everyone involved, but in the process, she had developed an annoying penchant of pestering others while incorporeal. Unfortunately, for some reason, probably because of her childish appearance, everyone had taken to holding him responsible for her antics.

Xenovia, thankfully sensed the atmosphere and continued for him. "Hyoudou-san has indeed been very helpful with my tasks, as have Toujou-san and the rest of the Occult Research Club. For that reason, I hope you will not mind me intruding upon your house in the future."

"Dear, try and keep our son in line, and you can live here as far as we're concerned."

Issei could only sigh inwardly as Xenovia continued to impress his parents, while he tried to stop a tug of war in which one of the participants wasn't even tangible.

 _Yep. This is my life now._

* * *

At the same time the Hyoudou household was having breakfast, someone was being far more active.

The air whistled and sang as steel sliced through the air. They carved the air so quickly that at an outsider would only be able to see brief scintillations of light. Kiba's two swords spun, stabbed, hacked and jabbed in a frightening show of skill and discipline. Finally, Kiba stilled, settling into a ready stance, his swords held in front of him. He released a breath. To a normal outsider, it would have been an incredible display of swordsmanship.

Kiba knew better.

His strikes were getting sloppy, and his movements were sluggish. Every blade he shattered came back weaker and duller in shine and sharpness. Sweat drenched his clothing, and dark rings spoiled his handsome face, just as much as his stony expression. He had been at it for hours, Devils were nocturnal by nature after all. But the sun had been up for several hours, and so the toll of his constant training was making itself known.

"Why did I know I would find you here?"

Kiba tensed, before relaxing upon recognizing the melodic voice. "Akeno-senpai. Is it time for school?" He dismissed his blades, but kept his distance. Not because he was wary of Akeno, but because he didn't want to subject her to rather unpleasant body odor.

"There's enough time for you to shower and change into uniform, don't worry. But I wanted to talk to you about something."

Kiba already knew what she wanted to discuss. "So, do you think she was right?"

Akeno sighed sadly. "Frankly, I think you were both out of line."

The Knight looked up in surprise. Perhaps he expected the Queen to follow her King. Then again, Akeno wasn't the type to blindly obey. "How so?"

"Kiba. Do you really think I am in any position to argue against holding onto old hatreds?"

Despite the seriousness of the topic, Kiba couldn't help but smile reminding the only one with hidden skeletons. Akeno chose to keep talking. "I don't think Rias was right in denying you your chance to exact your vengeance. It's completely unreasonable for her to expect you to let go of your hate just like that.

"On the other hand, you were about to raise your sword against her." Akeno's purple eyes grew hard and cold with accusation.

Kiba shook his head. "That doesn't mean anything. I was caught up in my anger in that moment. I wouldn't have done anything to harm her, you know that."

"I know that she wronged you, and forgiveness is probably too much to ask for right now. But remember what she's done for you. She considers you family, and no matter how misguided her actions may be, she loves you. You know that, right?"

Kiba thought it over. "She _has_ done a lot for me, and I am extremely grateful to her. I may have grievances but I wouldn't even think of betraying her."

"If you want to reassure me, say that again after you two have resolved your problems." Akeno walked closer, forsing him to look her straight in the eye. "Kiba, you have been family to me for years, but Rias will always be my King. I beg you, never force me to fight you."

"Are you really that suspicious about my loyalty?" He was getting quite angry now.

"I have no doubt that you are loyal. To whom? That is not clear to me."

Kiba was about to retort, but Akeno held up a hand. "Like I said, you don't have to justify yourself to me. If placed in your postition, I honestly would be having second thoughts as well. But Lucifer-sama can only pull so many strings for his sister. Consider your options carefully."

Akeno walked back to the clubhouse, leaving Kiba to his tumultuous thoughts.

* * *

The following week passed in much the same way. Xenovia continued to follow Issei, gaining him the ire of... pretty much everyone in Kuoh. Minnie continued to invisibly annoy Shirone, who redirected her anger from an untouchable specter to... you guessed it, him. The atmosphere between Rias and Kiba continued to be frosty.

The tense undertones within the peerage however were somwehat overshadowed by the preparations being made for the Open House. Of course, Sona's peerage, being the Kuoh Student Council, were the ones who were mostly responsible for the event organization, planning presentations for different classes and clubs. However, that didn't mean that Issei and Rias weren't busy preparing their own presentation.

Namely: Gasper Vladi.

Grayfia had agreed that she would not tell Sirzechs of Gasper's release. Normally, they could have just hidden Gasper away until the visit was over. But Rias' rise in prestige allowed her certain benefits, like the release of her 'unstable' Bishop. Which meant that it was necessary to inform Rias' older brother that it had already been done two weeks ago. His reaction was not known to Rias, but they decided to err on the side of caution, training Gasper and **[Forbidden Balor View]** to within an inch of his life.

And now, the dreaded day has come. Gasper himself was still holed up in his cardboard box in the clubroom, but Issei had no such refuge. Luckily, his classroom was in a completely different section of Kuoh, so he has a couple of hours. For now, he had to deal with his own parents.

He stared down at the block of putty on his table, weighing it in his hands, wondering why his teacher couldn't just have a normal English class. He looked around, and saw his parents waving at him with a camcorder. He twisted his body further to see Xenovia pounding away at it, molding it into a rough shape of a sword.

He closed his eyes to think. Meaningful and original? What's meaningful to him that could be modeled in clay? He set the clay down, kneading it randomly, trying to come up with a shape. He didn't bother asking Sera or Ulrich for advice, this called for something important to him, after all. _This is harder than I thought._

"Hyo-Hyoudou-kun?"

"Hah?" His teacher's voice broke him out of his reverie. "What's up?" He then noticed the silence that had fallen in the classroom. Nect he noticed the stunned, and some disgusted looks sent his way. Finally, he noticed his fellow concept floating in the air right above him, her hands held in front of her mouth to suppress laughter (even though no-one could hear her).

Dreading the worst, he looked down onto his table. Immortalized in clay, was a miniature version of Minnie's body. Normally that would be okay, if a bit unusual. However, the girl's young form was on her knees, her hair adorably disheveled and splayed out around her. The girl's dress was barely on, the girl holding up one strap with her thumb, as if about to drop it completely. Her grey face was looking up, the eyes closed, and the mouth open in an unmistakably sensual moan.

 _Just a little taste of what you could have gotten, Onii-chan._ Minnie said through her snickers, while he could only twitch in response.

"ISSEI!" Matsuda and Motohama practically climbed over the desks to get to him and clasp his hands with their own. "My most-esteemed friend and comrade! I will give you anything for that sculpture!" Motohama screamed.

"Issei, I will give you five of my best games for that sculpture!"

"Hey, I offered first!"

"Screw you, you wouldn't be able to properly appreciate the wonders of the loli form!"

As his friends continued to bicker, Issei could feel the scathing glare of almost every person in that room, students and parents alike. And Issei was pretty sure he could hear his mother and father break down crying.

All the while Minnie laughed uproariously at the chaos she created.

* * *

Bang. Bang. Bang.

"It's not that bad, Onii-chan. It's not as if your reputation has taken that big of a hit. Everyone already knew you were a pervert." Minnie was visible now, holding the clay sculpture of herself. She had pestered him to bake it in order to harden it, and now she was set on painting it and keeping it in his room.

"That's different!" Issei raised his head from the stone wall. "Being a lolicon is Matsuda's shtick! I like breasts! Big, round, bouncy, beautiful breasts!"

"In short, you don't care that they call you a pervert, but that they got your preferences wrong, is that it?" Xenovia said unimpressed, one eyebrow raised.

Minnie looked thoughtful, before black shadow started to emanate from her body.

"No, no no!" Issei immediately stopped her. "For my own piece of mind, stay as you are. If you do what I think you're about to do, I'll never be able to look at this form again."

Minnie pouted, only making Issei's point for him. "Fine." she grumbled turning her attention back to the sculpture. "So, when are you two going to meet these Satans?"

"Rias told me to stop by the club room after school. I'm assuming you're coming as well, Xenovia-san?"

"Of course. As the liaison for the Church, and the one assigned to you, it would only be right to attend the meeting with you."

Any further discussion was cut off by Saji frantically down the hall. "Whoa, whoa, hold up, what's on fire?"

"Man, I have no idea." Saji replied, looking very harried. "I just got word that there's somebody causing a ruckus in the gymnasium and I was sent to deal with it. I have to go!" He rushed away quite abruptly. It was a bit rude, but he was so agitated that none of them could blame them.

"Minnie? Where are you going?"

Minnie had stored away the statue and had gone invisible again, floating after Saji. " _Trust me, Onii-chan. You're gonna want to see this."_ Issei quickly followed her, with Xenovia in tow, chasing after Saji and Minnie. The four of them burst into the gymnasium, to see a surreal scene.

A crowd of people, mostly male, were in a frenzy. The click of shutters and the camera flashes filled the gym, and the photographers were yelling for their subject to enter various poses. Said subject was a beautiful young girl in a pink magical girl outfit, magic staff and all. The outfit was quite short though, so every twirl and pose was accompanied by a brief flash of panties, which the crowd went _crazy_ for.

 _"Minnie... Is that... who I think it is?"_

 _"Oh yeah. What you're looking at Onii-chan is one of the most powerful beings in... well... the universe. I'm not sure which one, but the magical girl is definitely one of the Satans."_

 **Your instincts are getting sharper, boy.** Ulrich remarked. **You immediately sussed out that she was not a normal being and deduced that she was a very powerful Devil with just one look.**

 _I guess I've had lots of practice recently._

Issei did not know what to expect. Maybe something along the lines of a very sexy woman clad in expensive clothing, whose every move would make strippers look clumsy. You know, the picture of temptation. Then again, he supposed cute young magical girl would be tempting to many people.

Maybe it was a trait of the really powerful? Grayfia dressed like a maid, Mathers was a creepy weirdo, Minnie looked like a ten year old girl, and he wasn't exactly the picture of conceptual power either. Looking at that, this Devil wasn't that strange.

Saji, however, did not catch on to the girl's identity and waved off the grumbling, protesting photographers. Of course, the Magical Devil didn't like this.

"What's wrong with my outfit?" she whined cutely, waving her star studded stick. "It's my work uniform and I wanted to how it off to So-tan's friends!"

"You're a visitor? Well all the more reason to dress and act appropriately! You have to set an example-"

"No, that sounds boring! I wanna see So-tan now!" The girl immediately began to throw a tantrum, pounding her fists, and her stick on Saji's chest. The Council Secretary was overwhelmed by the girl's outburst, trying to calm her down and stop the surprisingly strong assault.

"Saji, what is going on he- O-O-Onee-sama?!"

The exclamation drew their attention to the doors of the gym, where the Student Council President stood there, without a hint of her usual calm and composure. Her eyes looked ready to fall out of her skull, and her face seemed frozen in a state between shock and abject terror. Obviously, this did not deter her sister at all.

"SOOOOOO-TAAAAAN!" The screaming pink bullet collided with its hapless target, its flailing limbs wrapping itself around its victim in a heartbeat. The poor victim had finally regained her senses, but by then it was too late. One of the Four Great Satans, Serafall Leviathan, had captured her little sister and had begun flailing her around, causing some... bouncy effects.

"I have missed you so much, So-tan! How long has it been, it's been months! Did you miss your Onee-sama? Oh, of course you did, I bet you thought about me every day! You should just come home to me, So-tan! But I know you'll stay here and Onee-sama is really, really proud of you for that! But you don't have to worry, So-tan! Onee-sama is here and ready to show my love for you with some hot, sweaty, yuri-yuri actio-Ack!"

 _Okay, maybe she's a little stranger than usual._ He thought dryly as he watched Sona finally snap and try to push her beloved sister away, shoving her face as her Vice President assist her King by pulling backon Serafall's blouse.

"Hyoudou-san." Xenovia leaned in and whispered. "You have more experience than me. Are all Devils this... strange?"

"Hehe... I think only the Ultimate-Class ones."

 _"So that's the magical girl that this country likes so much, huh... Interesting..."_ Minnie mused as she examined the gaudy outfit. _"Maybe I should get one myself. It looks so adorable! What do you think, Onii-chan?"_

Issei didn't have the chance to reply with a loud (albeit telepathic) 'NO', but it seems that Serafall had been extracted from Sona's side and was now right in his face. "Hi, hi! You're Ise-kun, right? I'm Sona-tan's big sister. I am Serafall, the Magical Girl Levia-tan!"

Well, she nailed the pose, the V-sign over one eye, hips cocked and the magic wand raised in battle position. To the side, Sona had palmed her face, all too used to the embarasing antics of her sister. Issei couldn't imagine how embarrassed she would be if Saji hadn't already dismissed the crowd.

"Nice to meet you, Leviathan-sama. You are correct, I'm Issei Hyoudou."

"Mou!" Serafall pouted. "Call me Sera-chan, or Levia-tan. You're as stiff as Sona-tan. Where is the other one, the cuter one? Sona-tan told me you had a cutie-pie with you, so here is she?"

Before Issei could say anything, Minnie made herself visible, and threw herself at Serafall's legs. "You're so cool, Sera-nee-chan! I'm Minnie! Do you really think I'm cute? Do you think you can make me a magical girl too?"

 _What. The. Hell._

Serafall took one look at the small, begging little girl around her waste, looking up at her with black eyes sparkling, and seemingly fell to pieces. "Oh, you are _adorable_!" The Satan squealed and scooped up the little girl and spun her around. "Of course, Mii-chan! Someone as cute as you would have no trouble becoming a magical girl All you need is..."

Issei and Sona exchanged a glance, their eyes flicking to their respective companions. A mutual understanding passed between them. Without a single spoken word, they turned around and began to walk away, leaving the Devilish Magical Girl with her new student. At least, that's what they wanted to do.

"Onii-chan!"

"So-tan!"

And so the two were captured by the Magical Girls.

* * *

 _That was the most mentally exhausting time of my life._

Issei had never been more grateful for class. Dealing with the two girls had drained him and Sona, who seemed to be the only ones they were willing to listen to. He knew that Minnie was acting so bizarrely just for the hell of it. But her idea of amusement seemed to involve causing discomfort for as many people as possible.

Now he was about to do it again, except with two Great Satans instead of one.

With Shirone and Xenovia by his side, he once again stood in front of the clubroom doors, trying to think of an excuse not to go in. Minnie had escaped by claiming to be hungry. Then again, she was always hungry. Issei could only hope that she didn't anything... or anyone important.

"Why are you so nervous?" Xenovia asked. "You've interacted with the Devils many times, and I was told that you and Toujou-san faced Lord Lucifer's Bishop in direct combat. A simple conversation should be simple."

 **Oh she has no idea...** Nick commented wryly.

 _Ease up, she's a warrior, not a bureaucrat._

Xenovia had had enough of waiting and grabbed a hold of the door and brazenly swung it open. "Excuse us, Gremory-sa- Guh!" Xenovia froze the moment she stepped into the room.

Issei and Shirone didn't feel anything that would intimidate someone that would cause someone as headstrong as Xenovia to falter. Curious, the two of them followed her inside, but saw nothing too nefarious. However, Issei spotted two anomalies.

A hooded woman was calmly sipping tea on one of the couches. Looking closer, it wasn't just a hood, but a nun's habit. A silver cross hung on a chain around her neck. The outfit made it hard to see her face, but Issei estimated that the woman was in her late twenties. Her features seemed European, sharp and pronounced, but her expression carried serenity and gentleness.

The second one sitting across from him was familiar in appearance. Dark crimson hair that flowed over his shoulders. His blue-green eyes were mirthful. He wore a crisp suit, somehow achieving the effect of looking formal and lackadaisical at the same time. All in all, an older, male version of Rias Gremory. He seemed to have been conversing with the other women when Xenovia burst in.

Somewhat out of place, but not that unusual, was a cardboard box, with two holes cut out that were glowing with faint pink light. Oddly enough, Akeno opened up one of the flaps to lower a cup of tea into it, and a small dainty hand accepted before retreating into its shelter.

"Oh, you must be Rias' friends." The man set down his tea and stood. "My name is Sirzechs Lucifer, Rias' older brother. It's a pleasure to finally meet you two."

Issei only dared to hesitate for two seconds, before he clamped down on his anxiety and took the man's hand. "The pleasure's all mine, Lucifer-sama. I'm Issei Hyoudou." The grip on his hand was firm, not overly strong, but unyielding. Just like the **[Aura]** he emitted. Charisma and confidence exuded from him, filling the entire room, bewitching any unaware soul. He made sure to respond in kind.

Sirzechs smiled, before turning his attention to the frozen blue-haired girl beside him. "Xenovia-san, yes? Griselda-san has told me many good things about you."

Xenovia visibly gulped before remembering herself and bowing low. "It is an honor to meet you, Lucifer-sama." She raised her head, only to bow again to the woman. "Griselda-sama, it is good to see you again. I didn't know that you were coming here today."

The woman remained seated. "Xenovia. It's reassuring to know that you are just as vigorous as ever. Though, I must ask for forgiveness from you. I had intended to attend the Open House, but it seems that I didn't account for the time difference when I was travelling. I landed a mere thirty minutes ago, and by then, it didn't seem very productive to attend, so I decided to come here directly."

"No, it's no trouble at all!" Xenovia frantically denied. She turned to Issei. "Hyoudou-san, this is Griselda Quarta, my swordmaster and my guardian. And one of the top Exorcists of the Church."

At this, Issei examined the woman much more carefully. The demure woman was still smiling, delicately holding her teacup. Her presence wasn't nearly as commanding or encompassing as Sirzechs', but it was present and sturdy. Issei couldn't help but be enraptured by the mothering feel of her presence, despite the apparent power and position of this woman.

 _Looks like they're all here. Let the bullshitting begin._

* * *

 **So who wants to have Minnie turn into a Magical Girl?**

 **Consider this quick update an apology for the month of hiatus. Unfortunately I can't promise that I won't do it again so don't hold your breath for the next one. More of a transition chapter anyway.**

 **By the way, I just hit 50k views! Thank you very much everybody for choosing my story in their attempts to waste time. Now triple it! You got nothing better to do, right? Please?**

 **Later, bitches!**


	16. Chapter 16: Feeding the Flames

The First Flame

 **I swear, this isn't because I'm procrastinating.**

 **(DxD ain't mine, by the way)**

 **Chapter 16: Feeding the Flames**

After those introductions, Issei sat down on the couch next to Griselda, Shirone next to Gasper's box, predictably eating. Rias was seated at her desk, with the rest of the peerage standing in the background. As for Xenovia, she had become more rigid than usual and she was standing right next to Griselda, looking every bit like an alert bodyguard. Which didn't really fit considering Griselda was probably stronger than she was.

"So, if I may ask, Quarta-san..." Issei began. "Are you here for the conference?"

"Correct. Michael-sama will arrive within the next few days, but I was sent to relieve Xenovia of her position as liaison." She looked up at her student. "No offense, sweetheart, but you're not a diplomat." Xenovia didn't show offense. If anything, she agreed.

 _Michael-sama?_

 **She probably means the Archangel.** Seraphina said.

 **Hmph. This idiot meeting an Archangel? He'll smite him the moment he shakes his hand.** Ulrich chuckled.

 _Thanks. As if I wasn't nervous enough._

"Hyoudou-san, Mathers has told me much of your encounter, and I must admit that I am very curius about your... magic."

"I concur." Griselda inputted. "Irina spoke highly of your combat abilities and the unique nature of your fire magic. I must say that throughout my career as an Exorcist, I have never seen such powerful and verstile fire magic. May I ask which organization you are a part of?"

 **Here we go.**

"I'm afraid that the organization has no name and is pretty inactive. The only living members that I know about are myself and Minnie. Other members live almost everywhere on Earth and we hardly make contact."

"Ah, yes. 'Minnie', was it?" Sirzechs mused. "I'm sorry that I couldn't meet her, but it seems Serafall liked her. Though, Rias told me that her magic was very different as yours. Also, is it true that she is older than she looks?"

Of course they would ask about Minnie. Her magic couldn't be more different than his, at least in terms of appearance, and her youthful appearance only added to the mystery. Issei had absolutely no control over Minnie, besides baiting her with food and doing something to amuse her, so the best he (and Nick)could do was come up with something that's easy to go along with.

"Yes, that is true. Minnie is older than I am. By how much, I'm not sure and I'm not stupid or brave enough to ask." That got a smile from the two of them. "But her magic... well you'll have to ask her. The organization didn't put much emphasis on sharing magic, more on diversity. Since she's more experienced, she knows more about me than I do about her."

"Is that so? That's quite unique for magic organizations. I've encountered many and nearly all of them have one unified goal." Sirzechs remarked. " **The Golden Order** is one such organization. They focus on magic development, and making old magics more suitable to the modern age."

 **Play dumb.** Nick interjected. **You know nothing so you don't really need to act. He's baiting you. He's trying to uncover something about your past but you can't give him anything.**

 _Like you said, I have nothing to give._

"I'm sorry, but I know nothing about this, **Golden Order**. The organization I belong to places emphasis on individual growth. While some of what I know has been inherited from past members, I've had to learn and develop many things by myself."

"Admirable." Griselda nodded. "It's good that you have become so powerful while remaining independent."

"Years of practice, I suppose." Issei chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.

"And you have great ability as an instructor." Sirzechs beamed. "I've just been speaking to Gasper-kun here," Sirzechs patted the top of the box, inducing a slight shiver that everybody pretended not to notice. "And he and Rias have been telling me of how how helpful you've been!"

"I-Issei-senpai has been a really great teacher, L-Lucifer-sama!" Gasper stuttered out from his box. At least he managed to speak up.

"Lucifer-sama, I hate to be rude, but perhaps we can get to our real reason for meeting here." Griselda said.

"Oh, of course." The Satan replied cordially, before turning to Issei. "Well, Hyoudou-san, after several discussions with the Church and the Grigori, there is a request we must ask of you."

"And that is?" Issei asked warily.

Griselda answered him. "We would like you to participate in the Three Faction Conference. As a mediator."

 **Well, I certainly didn't see that coming.** Nick commented.

 _You're telling me! Why are they asking me of all people?_

"A mediator? Me? I'm sorry, but aren't mediators supposed to be neutral? My contract with Koneko would mean that my opinions would be kind of biased, right?"

"We did consider that. But even Rias has admitted that this is your territory. It's only right that you attend at the very least."

"Attend yes, but mediate? Something this big would be better left to somebody more experienced."

"Yes but there was something else that was considered." Griselda set down her cup and fully turned to him. "As you know, all three of the Biblical Factions have deep ties to the human world. The Devils have contracts ad recruit humans for their peerages. The Fallen Angels are closely linked to magicians, and human researchers have helped to advance their technology far beyond the other factions. And the Church's link with the population is obvious.

"However, it pains me to admit that all three factions are guilty of exploiting the human world. The aim of this conference is not just to cease all hostilities between us, but to lay down new laws to prevent any damage to the human world."

 _Holy shit._

 **I couldn't have said it better myself.** Nick said amazed. **You have the opportunity to get on the ground floor of a historic occasion, Issei.**

 **I agree.** Sera said. **Peace between Angels, Devils and Fallen Angels is incredible enough. But to think they're going out of their way to ensure our well-being.**

 _Well, if you put it like that, now I have to do this._

 **You don't have to do anything you don't want to, boy.** said Ulrich. **Being a pioneer is all well and good, but if this conference goes tits up, you'll be at ground zero of the Second Great Biblical War.**

 _You're just making it harder for me to say no. If this does go nuclear, the least I can do is get them to fight it out away from this city. Maybe outside the country. Or maybe this fucking planet._

"I have your word that no fighting will be done in Kuoh? You'll do your best to create a peace agreement instead of bickering about petty grievances that nobody really cares about."

Sirzechs chuckled. "I will wholeheartedly agree with the second condition. However, I don't think any of us can guarantee that there will be no hostilities. This is the most important meeting in millennia with several faction leaders in attendance. All of that makes for a prime target."

"I suppose that's pretty much inevitable." Issei resigned himself to the fact that this peace conference was going to be anything but peaceful. Because why should anything in his life start making sense now? "Okay, then. It will be my honor to be the mediator for this conference. With that in mind, I know that Azazel has already spoken with Rias." He ignored Rias' scoff in the background. "But when is, uh, Michael-san arriving?"

"I'm told that he is scheduled to arrive either later tonight, or early tomorrow morning. Oh, he is also bringing Irina with him. I'm sure you are pleased to know that, Xenovia." Griselda turned to her student, whose lips upturned slightly at the mention of her friend. "Rias-san was gracious enough to offer the local shrine to house them for the duration of the conference."

"The shrine? Akeno-senpai, are you..."

"Yes." The shrine maiden smiled demurely. "I am to be Michael-sama and Shidou-san's host."

 _That should be interesting._ Issei didn't miss Akeno's gleeful expression when she was striking down the Kokabiel's forces, and Issei was very sure that wasn't just the heat of battle. Maybe the heat of something else. _Ah well, who am I to judge considering who practically lives with me these days._

"Well, I suppose we're done here." Issei stood, prompting the others to stand, before bowing low. "I look forward to working with you."

* * *

Somebody else was waiting for Issei at the school gate, and he wasn't being subtle.

Vali was casually leaning on the wall, a bored look on his face. People were giving him strange looks, though the girls seemed to be fawning over him, to his chagrin. He lazily turned his head when he heard Issei approach. "Yo, Hyoudou. Where have you been? These mundane lessons ended an hour ago."

"I had a meeting with a nun and a Satan. What do you want?" He was not in the mood for this.

"Where's the other one? The one who put Kokabiel in a coma."

 _"Right here!"_ A cloud of darkness swirled next to him to coalesce into Minnie's body. _"Where are we going now, Onii-chan?"_

"She's here."

"Good. My boss wanted to talk to both of you. Now I don't have to go to the trouble of finding the other one." Issei didn't even get the chance to protest as Vali turned and started walking away. _Arrogant little...Why the hell should I follow him?_

 **It could be valuable.** Seraphina suggested. **There are a lot of powerful people in this town right now. He probably won't try anything.**

 _Probably?_ Despite his hesitation, Issei followed Vali without a word. Issei wasn't usually one to tolerate awkward silences, but it wasn't as if he had anything to talk about. Vali led Issei to a small cafe in town. "Azazel-san wants us to meet here?"

"We're not meeting Azazel." Vali walked into the cafe without explaining.

 _"Onii-chan..."_

"What is it- whoa, what's wrong?" For the first time sine he had met her. Minnie looked unsettled. In fact, she looked... scared. "Don't tell me you're afraid of Fallen Angel."

 _"Be careful, Onii-chan. It's not a Fallen Angel in there. Whoever it is, it's stronger than we are."_ Minnie floated to the ground and made herself tangible. "Even together, I'm not sure if we can stand up to them."

"The hell...?" Issei looked at the cafe doors, but he couldn't tell if there was anything strange. "Are you saying there's another concept in there?"

"Uh-huh. Though, I can't tell which one. It has to be pretty big, otherwise I wouldn't be this troubled. All my life and the only thing I've felt like this was my big brother. And even now I'm not sure who wins out."

Minnie's big brother. _Famine's_ big brother. Death. Someone that is possibly more powerful than Death was in there. Issei gulped. "Is it too late to get the hell out of here?"

"If it helps, Onii-chan, I don''t think they mean to hurt us."

"You should know that those words have never once calmed me down." Taking a breath, Issei pushed open the doors. He spotted Vali's silver hair and made for his table. When he reached it, he saw her.

Sitting calmly next to Vali, the girl looked to be the same age as Minnie, physically that is. She had hair as black as Minnie's, and her eyes were a hard steel-grey. She was wearing a purple Gothic Lolita dress, which was extremely revealing in the chest area, with two crosses covering the girl's nipples. Despite her provocative attire, she was childishly clutching a frapuccino and sucking on the straw with gusto. Several empty cups on the table told him that it wasn't her first one.

"Well, sit down." Vali motioned to them. The two did as told, getting as comfortable as the situation would allow. Minnie ordered a frappucino for herself, along with several muffins and cakes that he would have to pay for. Vali ordered a coffee, which Issei was definitely _not_ paying for. "Introductions. Hyoudou, Minnie, this is Ophis, the Ouroboros Dragon, the Infinite Dragon God. Ophis, say hi."

Ophis released the straw with a 'pop' and regarded them with a look that was only slightly above indifference. "... Hi, _Fire_. Hi, _Famine_. I'm _Nothing_."

 _...Hah?_

"She means it literally, Onii-chan." Minnie explained, sensing his confusion. "That's what, or _who_ she is. She's the concept of Nothingness."

"That's even more confusing! How can nothingness have a form? Hell, how would people believe in nothingness, it's like... impossible to even imagine!"

"So? People don't always know how fire works but they still believe in fire. People don't always understand what happens when people starve, but they know it happens. This is the same way. You can't imagine nothingness, but you don't have to."

Issei... somehow made sense of that logic. If you could even call it logic. He took a closer look at the form taken by the concept of Nothingness. At first glance, she seemed like a cute little girl in a frilly dress enjoying a sweet drink. But upon further inspection, looking at her was like looking at a machine. No, it was more eerie than that. Issei could look at her, but he couldn't _see_ her.

It was as if there was a hole in the world, covered with up with pretty clothes and a cute face. He felt that if he looked any closer, his entire being would be sucked into her, never to come back out again.

A hand landed on his arm. He turned to Minnie, who was shaking her head in warning. He nodded in thanks, before turning his eyes to Vali, making a point to avoid the other girl. Vali, however, was smirking in excitement. "So, you two are concepts as well, huh? No wonder you're so strong. Fire and Famine, was it?"

"Close enough." Issei said curtly. "What's this about, Vali? Does Azazel even know you're working for this girl, too?"

"Let's get something straight here. I don't have a damn clue what Azazel knows, but I do know that even if he knew about Ophis, he's smart enough to stay out of her way. And Ophis doesn't care about Azazel."

"Then what is she after?"

"Great Red." The girl whispered. "I want silence again."

Issei looked at Vali to elaborate.

"Alright, what do you know about the Dimensional Gap?"

Minnie chose to answer that. "It's a space between worlds. It's total emptiness, and anything that doesn't have protection would turn into nothingness in seconds."

"You mean... like a total vacuum?"

"Even more extreme than that." said Vali. "The concept of a vacuum, doesn't even belong there. It's simply nothingness. Or at least, it used to be."

"What changed?"

"Great Red drove Ophis out of the Gap. Whereas Ophis was created from the infinity of Nothingness, Great Red was born from the infinity of Dreams. In terms of power, they're just about equal, but Great Red managed to drive Ophis out."

Issei sighed. "And she hired _you_ to help her take it back? No offense, but what can _you_ do against something like that?"

Vai grinned. "Oh, I know Great Red is out of my league, for now. And Ophis didn't hire me. She didn't hire anybody, everyone who is working towards Great Red just volunteered because they all know that Ophis is one of the most powerful players on the board. She doesn't care who helps her, she just wants the Dimensional Gap for herself again,"

"Is that why we're here? To volunteer?" Minnie snarked.

"No, I wanted to tell you guys something. During the Three Faction Peace Conference in two days' time, terrorists will attack the venue."

 _Why do I feel like I've had this conversation already?_

"They are called the Khaos Brigade." Vali continued, indifferent to Issei's twitching eyes. "The actual Brigade consists of several factions, but the only one attacking is the Old Satan Faction, of which I am a member, who wish to restore the positions of the Satans to the original families. Furthermore, they wish for Devils to reassert themselves as the dominant race by defeating any potential threats. The ones leading the attack are Katerea Leviathan and Creuserey Asmodeus. A large number of combatants of different races will be with them, including human mages."

Issei rubbed his forehead in frustration. "... Okay, say this is true. Why the hell are you telling me this, instead of Azazel, who is probably more equipped to handle this?"

"Because I know that you have been asked to be the mediator of the conference, and I, well Ophis, has a request of her own.

"Help me destroy the Old Satan Faction."

The teenager blinked. Blinked hard. "Wait, what?"

"I want you to hel-"

"Yeah, I heard you. The point of the 'what' was more, why the hell do you want me to do this? And why can't you or Ophis do it yourselves."

"Well, of course I can do it myself. I can defeat all the leaders of the Old Satan Faction all at once. And Ophis can literally do it with a snap of her fingers. But Ophis can't be bothered, and I have bigger targets to focus on."

"I'm not going to fight who knows how many terrorists just because you don't feel like doing it! And stop me if I'm wrong, but aren't the current Satans the strongest in history? Surely they can handle it."

"They can, but they won't."

"Considering their family members are in the same freaking building, I'm sure they will."

"I didn't say they won't defend themselves. But they won't finish the job. Especially not the Satans. Maybe they'll send some grunts to track them down. But they'll barely scratch the surface of the organization. The Satans could do it, yeah. But these days they they can't move a muscle without cutting through a ridiculous amount of red tape. They aren't just powerful, they're leaders. And these days leaders lead from the rear." Vali said disgustedly.

"Then ask your boss to do it!" Issei expressed his growing frustration. "Or tip off the Angels! Don't dump this on me!"

"Azazel means well, but he won't attack the Old Satan Faction unless they are a genuine threat to the Grigori. And do you really think the Angels give a damn that the Devils are going through, what really amounts to a revolt?"

"You just said the Old Satan Faction wants to kickstart another damn war! Surely they would prefer leaders like Sirzechs who would be willing to actually co-operate to have peace!"

"Of course they would." Vali agreed. "But like _you_ said. The Satans can handle it themselves. In fact, they have been called the strongest Satans in history. The Fallen and the Angels won't risk their own men in a conflict that they know can be handled internally."

"...And the Satans won't handle it fast enough for your liking, is that it?"

"Precisely. A deadlock, only there are too many players to keep waiting."

Issei leaned forwards, supporting his head in his hands, his fingers rubbing his forehead. He was doing that lot these days. After a minute of contemplation, Minnie spoke up, setting down her fork. "Vali, can you clear something up for me?"

"What is it?"

"Why do you want to destroy the Old Satan Faction? It's not like you care about what happens to the Peace Conference, right?" Minnie's question caused another query to surface in Issei's mind.

 _Should I ask now, or is it appropriate?_

 **Better to get it out of the way, now that Minnie has raised the issue.** Nick advised.

"Vali, Kokabiel said... Kokabiel called you Vali Lucifer. But... Sacred Gears can only go to human hybrids."

Vali's face becomes hard, his blue eys like ice chips. He glared at nothing in particular, before he smirked. Though Issei couldn't help but notice that it was quite forced. "Yeah, you heard him right. My mother is a human. My father was a Lucifer. I'm a direct descendant to the original Lucifer. Didn't expect that, huh?"

Well... At least they knew why he wasn't the least bit upset at the thought of destroying the Old Satan Faction. Issei didn't need a history book to guess that Devil hybrids weren't exactly respected. "Is this personal?"

Vali's smile became vicious. "I can't deny that seeing those foolish traditionalists crumble would give me some vindictive pleasure. But to be honest, even if they had treated me well, I would still need to get them out of my way."

" _Your_ way? I thought this favor was for Ophis?"

"It is. The Old Satan Faction have no intention of of helping Ophis banish Great Red from the Gap. They are ambitious, but they know that challenging the power of infinity would mean extinction. They just want to take advatage of Ophis to further their own goals. That's why she really doesn't care if they are destruction.

"As for me, the Old Satan Faction stand in the way of my goal of facing Great Red."

"You think _you_ can take on that dragon?"

"As I am now? Of course not. The Old Satan Faction was merely a stepping stone that now I must kick aside. The Khaos Brigade means to spread war and anarchy. I don't want that."

"No? You don't want endless battle and carnage?" asked Minnie disbelievingly.

"I'll be the first to admit that there is little I love more than a battle. But I wish to fight the strongest in this world, and the worlds beyond. There is little meaning in decimating armies of weaklings. However, a contest of power between two individuals is a statement of hierarchy, and a source of pride for me. Or conversely, a source of frustration in the rare occasion I lose. Either way, it will make me _stronger._ "

 _...Okay, so not exactly a peace-loving humanitarian,but much better than an indiscriminate psycho like Freed... Definitely easier to reason with._

"...One last thing I need cleared up."

"Shoot."

"That can't be it. A person like you doesn't just ask two people you barely know to help with you kill off an entire faction just because they get in your way. And honestly, I still don't understand how a civil war for the Devils would get in the way for your stupid suicide mission against Great Red. This _is_ personal, and not just in the sense that it would help you with your crusade, whether or not you want to admit it. To me or to yourself."

"...Is that a question?"

"No, that's part of an answer. I won't bother asking for the rest 'cause I doubt you'll tell me." Issei leaned back in his chair, grabbing Minnie's iced coffee drink and gulping it down to stave off his headache. "My question is pretty obvious, and something you should have started with. What's in it for me?"

"I should think it is pretty obvious." said Vali, as if surprised that Issei did not understand. You are a conceptual being, but you are determined to maintain your disguise as a human. A human mage contracted to a Reincarnated Devil."

"These traditionalists... they're against Reincarnated Devils?"

"With extreme prejudice. In fact, part of their manifesto, which is really just a list of complaints, is a promise to, ahem, _eradicate the disease that is the Reincarnated Devils and bring an end to the disgusting Evil Piece System._ Their words, not mine."

 _Which means Shirone would be a target. And Gasper. And Akeno and Kiba. And for some godforsaken reason, I actually give a shit._

 **I don't think you are capable of 'not giving a shit', as you put it.** said Sera, seemingly amused despite the gravity of the situation.

"We're in!" Minnie cheered.

"Hang on, we-"

"Oh, come on, Onii-chan. Like you were ever going to refuse. And it sounds fun and I want to join in! And I'm betting we don't even have to do that much. Just stick around those Devils and they'll come to us!"

"Oh that makes it _so_ tempting..." Issei blew out another breath, wishing that he never went out with that cute girl with big boobs. "Fine, fine, let's do it. Let's fucking do this. Let's hunt down a group of racist, anarchist, megalomaniacal bastards. Damn, I wish more humans said that kind of thing."

Vali flashed a bloodthirsty grin and raised his cup of coffee. "Cheers, then. Happy hunting to us all!"

 _Stupid, horny teen to ancient concept to peacemaker to terrorist hunter. What next?_

 **Putting aside the fact that you are** _ **still**_ **a horny teenager,** Sera replied sardonically. **You realize that you may have just jinxed yourself with that thought?**

 _I didn't think you would be the type to believe in jinxes._

 **I never did. But the most staunch disbeliever in predetermination would agree that luck seems to have love-hate relationship with you.**

* * *

Issei had one more surprise waiting for him when he got home.

Shirone was standing still as a stone in front of his house, a large cardboard box held out in front of her. Even at a distance, he could see the pink glow emanating from the two holes.

"Koneko-chan! Gaspie! What's up?"

"You can call me Shirone. Gaspie's cool. Senpai, we have a favor to ask."

The Dhampir's muffled voice rang out from within the box. "Issei-sensei, d-do you mind if we stay here for the n-next couple of days?"

"Uhh, I don't have a problem with that, but why?"

"Rias-buchou told me to take care of Gaspie for the conference. She doesn't think he'll go nuts again, but she wants to keep him away from the potential danger zone."

"And my house is probably the safest place in town being warded to within to an inch of its life. That about right?"

"Pretty much."

"We're sorry to intrude, Issei-senpai!"

"Nah, it's alright." he reassured the flustered boy. Though he said that, there was a problem. "Though, we don't have a guest room... I can sleep on a futon, but I'm not sure the bed is big enough for the two of you, though you guys are kinda small."

"Ah, that's okay sensei, I don't sleep much at night anyway. I'll just stay in here."

Sleeping arrangements organized, it didn't take long for Issei to convince His parents to let Shirone stay behind. As for Gasper, he stayed in his box and was called a box of old manga gifted to him by Motohama. The crossdresser was left in his box in Issei's room, making sure to keep him out of the sun. After getting him settled, Shirone asked for a word. Which kind of made him anxious.

Shirone had been avoiding him ever since learning the nature of his 'magic'. She never showed any hostility, but she showed the same wariness as she did when they first met. Issei didn't know much, but from what he could gather, Shirone's species was one that could practice **[Senjutsu]**. However, she had had some bad experiences, likely caused by the misuse or the loss of control of natural energy. Issei had been meaning to somehow reconcile, but he had been busy, and he didn't really know how to even begin.

"So, Shirone-chan. What's going on?"

The white-haired Devil hesitated, seemingly looking everywhere but him. "Your... colleague... Is she here?"

As an answer to her question, Minnie burst into visibility. Instead of floating, she chose to appear right on top of Issei, landing in a piggyback position, her arms draped around him. "Hello, Neko-chan!"

Shirone twitched at the nickname, but otherwise ignored her. "Senpai, is she like you? Is she a Sage?"

He was more or less expecting this question. He did say that Minnie was in the same organization as him, but their methods of combat were strikingly different. "I already said I'm probably not a Sage in the way you mean. But Minnie and I _do_ get our power from the same sources and in the same way."

Shirone nodded, as if he had only confirmed his suspicions. "Senpai, as my contracted mage, I am formally requesting you to help me train in **[Senjutsu]**."

 **Called it.**

 _What am I, a fucking help desk?_

 **Just listen to her. It's not like you can even refuse.**

"What makes you so sure I can help you?"

"I'm not."

The blunt admission caught Issei by surprise. Mostly because everyone today who had a proposition or a favor for him, had outlined competent arguments to convince him. "So why ask me at all?"

"Because there's no one else I can ask."

"Shirone... why now? Obviously you don't even like the idea of **[Senjutsu].** Why do want to learn it now?"

The girl said nothing, lowering her head to hide her face. Issei turned to the other girl hanging off of him. "Minnie, mind giving us some privacy?" Shirone may have grown to have some tentative trust in him, and the feeling was mutual. But Minnie was a stranger. With her intrusion, it would be impossible to get Shirone to open up to him.

The deceptively young girl seemed to consider it, before jumping off of him. "Okay! I guess I'll play with that little Dhampir. Don't take too long Onii-chan!" With that she flounced into the room, and Issei said a small prayer for the hikkikomori's sake.

"So," Issei said as lightly as possible. "What's this about, Shirone?"

Hazel eyes met bore into him, seeking out any trace of dishonesty with practiced experience. This was a girl who has been betrayed. A girl who has trusted before and suffered greatly for it, and as a result, has constructed a fortress around her heart. And now she was making the important decision to allow somebody else another chance.

"Someone..." Shirone faltered, but she was determined to force the words out. "Someone close to me, she was a master of **[Senjutsu]** , or at least she thought she was. She was so talented that a very high-ranking Devil offered her a place in his peerage. Even Devils know how rare and how powerful **[Senjutsu]** user could be.

"No one really knows what happened, but she lost control. The natural energy drove her mad, and she killed her King and the rest of the peerage. Now, she's an SS-ranked fugitive with a kill on sight order.

"Her name is Kuroka. My older sister."

This was the most that Issei had ever heard Shirone speak at one time. But he would have never been able to imagine such a past. "You blame her for leaving you behind."

Shirone's eyes became harder than stone, but when she spoke, her voice was the same quiet whisper. "She didn't just leave me behind. She ruined our lives. Before she became a Bishop, we were living in the streets, stealing and rummaging through trash for food. It was only by the mercy of Lucifer-sama that I was able to become Rias-buchou's Rook."

"Then what changed your mind? You spent years afraid of the same thing your sister suffered. Why would you want to take up the Sage arts now?"

"Because you showed me that it was possible. If someone like you or _that woman_ could master **[Senjutsu]** and use it as naturally as breathing, the surely I should be able to accomplish it as too."

 _Someone like me...?_

 **What a complicated way of saying, 'If an idiot like you can do it, surely I can do it as well'.** Nick sighed.

 _She never said 'idiot'!"_

 **Trust me, it was there.**

However, Issei caught on to something else other than the slight insult. "Shirone, what do you mean by, 'someone like you'?"

This time, Shirone was the one taken aback. She whipped her head around, as if scouting the area for eavesdroppers. But before she could answer, Issei already came up with a conclusion. "Shirone-chan, you... you weren't human before turning into a Devil, were you?"

Shirone's expression didn't change, nor did it fall back into its default stoic expression. She stayed in shock for several moments, before her entire body deflated in defeat. Then it happened.

Two furry protrusions rose from the top of her head. Behind her, her skirt rose and a long white, fluffy appendage curled up until it was at the same height as her head. The girl averted her eyes, whether from embarrassment or frustration he didn't know. The ears on her head twitched, as if waiting for his reaction.

 **A Nekomata...** Sera whispered in awe.

 _A Nekomata?_ Shirone's head immediately shot upwards to glare at him in alarm, which told him that he must have said that out loud. "What do you know about Nekomata?"

 _Uhhh... Sera?_ "I don't know much. They're a species of Youkai, and they are pretty rare. Like all Youkai, they're able to use natural energy, much easier than any of the other species. Is that why your sister was so talented?"

"...No. That's not right. Youkai aren't that much better at using **[Senjutsu]** than any other species. We're just more sensitive to natural energy. My sister was just... just a special case." she tapered off, her eyes losing focus.

 **...I suggest you change the subject. Now!**

"Shirone... Since we do have a magical contract, I am bound to help you, and it's not as if I don't want to. But just because the energy we use is similar, I don't think that means that I can offer anything to help."

"I don't care. You're the best **[Senjutsu]** user I've met. It doesn't matter what method you're using. I know you can help me."

 **So... shall I add 'Sage Arts Instructor' to your already impressive resume?** Sera couldn't help but quip.

 _Oh, shut up._

Issei looked at the petite, teenage girl in front of him, her ears flattened despondently and her tail drooping and listless. It was near impossible to reconcile the image of this fragile, girl who lost her sister, to the fierce and seemingly invincible fighter from the battlefield. "... Like you said, I can't turn you down even if I wanted to. But Shirone, I am your partner. And so, I'll make sure you never suffer through the madness your sister did. You'll never have to be afraid of **[Senjutsu]** again."

Issei never had a part-time job. But now, he seems to have three. But while the first two were accepted out of fear for the future, this one was a job he simply had to accept. And seeing the silent, but furious determination in those golden eyes told him that he wouldn't regret it.

 **At least you can never claim that your high school life wasn't interesting.**

* * *

 **Are any of you guys atheists, but your family is religious? That's kind of why this chapter exists. You see, my mother thought that it would be good to drag me (in the middle of studying for the most important fucking exams in my life) to my godmother's son's first Holy Communion. If you don't know what that is, it's basically a ceremony Christian kids do around the age of 8.**

 **Now, I am not against religion, but for FUCK'S SAKE! Why did I have to attend this ceremony that I completely disagree with and refuse to participate in?! Huh? It's not like it's that big of a deal! I have exams in less than three weeks, for crying out loud! You know, the ones I need to do for fucking GRADUATION?!**

 **...Sorry, but I needed to let that out.**

 **Anyway, I couldn't bring my notes or my books or any of my shit. But luckily I had my phone and already had a rough draft of this chapter on my Onedrive account. Isn't the internet great? And I wasn't that big of a dick to tap away on my phone during a religious ceremony ( no matter how bullshit I think it is), so I snuck out when they were singing hymns and typed this under the shade of a huge oak tree on the grounds. Probably the most idyllic place where I've written.**

 **That said, please excuse any mistakes I may have missed since this was done on a touch phone.**

 **Later bitches.**

 **P.S. Can you just slap any image for the cover art as long as you cite the source?**


	17. Chapter 17: Spark Testing I

The First Flame

 **Jeez, how long has it been, over a month? Sorry folks.**

 **(Highschool DxD ain't mine, by the way)**

 **Chapter 17: Spark Testing I**

In an abandoned clubroom, a dark whirling vortex was punched through space.

"I can't believe it was this easy to get inside, nya. Don't they have any kind of security?"

"Of course they do." The surprised inquiry was answered by a handsome, bespectacled young man with blond hair, with one strand falling in a twirl over his shoulder. He was dressed smartly in a business suit, which matched his stern and professional demeanor.

"Their security is only slightly above adequate, but do keep in mind that there is a batallion from each faction guarding the venue. They probably didn't see the point in using wards that complex. And besides, no magic in the world can stop your method of travelling anyway."

"Hoh?" Even though she was the one who asked the question, the young woman had already lost interest in the topic. The woman was beautiful, luscious black hair flowing loosely down her back. Twitching intermittently on top of her head were two furry cat ears. She wore a black kimono that left her shoulders bare and was split at the waist, giving a view of her large breasts and shapely legs. "Ugh, why are we even here, nya? Vali-kun can take care of himself. And why isn't Bikou or Fay-chan here?!"

Her companion wasn't fazed by the woman's petulant behavior. "Patience, Kuroka. You know that Ophis had taken an interest in this just as Vali has."

Kuroka huffed. "What's so special about a couple of mages, anyway nya..."

"He didn't say. But you know he wouldn't be interested just because they wield strange magics. And he did say this, he has taken your sister under his wing."

Golden eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Hmm... Shirone-chan took a liking to him, nya?"

"Enough. Let's get to work."

Even though he said we, Kuroka didn't do anything but lounge around on the sofa and sniffing around the room while Arthur muttered through half a dozen spells. His sister would have been able to do something like this in seconds with no incantation, but she was occupied. Having said that, it only took him five minutes to finish his business.

"Kuroka, time to go. They'll be here soon."

"Hm? Alright." Kuroka replied absently, still eyeing the room. She waved her hand, natural energy surged, and another dark vortex opened up in the room. Arthur made for the portal before realizing that Kuroka had not moved yet.

"Kuroka? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just a funny thought." Kuroka turned to the portal, her tails swishing behind her. The two of them disappeared without a trace.

Unseen by Arthur, was a small, barely noticeable will-o'-the'wisp. The moment the portal closed, the shape destabilized and the fragments were gently blown away.

* * *

Issei took a look at the room he was in and wondered if it was too late to say 'fuck it' and get the hell out of here. He could join Shirone and Gasper at his house, fully warded, eating snacks and playing video games, away from the eventual chaos. Or should he say Khaos? Damn villains and their stupid naming sense.

Looking at the occupants of the room, he reminded himself why he couldn't do that.

Currently, he was sitting in a meeting room that was originally used by the Kuoh Academy Board of Directors. Now it has been repurposed to seat only five people in a round table. And of course, each person seated had the power to annihilate an entire continent.

 _Is it cool or terrifying that I'm part of that category?_ he thought. Oh well, it wasn't as if any of them knew of that fact. Except for maybe...

Leaning casually against the wall, Vali Lucifer was as cool as can be, looking utterly bored with the proceedings (which hadn't even started yet), as if there wasn't a group of terrorists about to attack. He caught Issei's gaze and gave a sly smirk. _Don't you fucking smile at me like that, you weird bastard!_

He returned his attention to the other four people sitting at the table. To his left, Sirzechs had forgone his three piece suit, insteead donning a strange, but formidable-looking armor, colored silver and gold, all sharp spikes and sharp edges. Next to him, Serafall had ditched her Magical Girl outfit (to his relief) and wore a simple business suit, though she didn't lose her mischievous smile.

Once again to the left was a man that Issei could only describe as doll-like. He was certainly handsome, with long blonde hair and shining green eyes and a gentle smile on his face. He wore golden pauldrons which had a long white and red cloak flowing from it. He looked every bit the image of an Archangel, down to the glowing halo floating above his head. He seemed to be the pinnacle of holiness and righteousness associated with Heaven.

And yet... It didn't feel right to him. Issei couldn't make a clear opinion. What was it he was looking at when he gazed at the Seraph? There wasn't anything wrong, it was just...No. That was it, wasn't it?

There was nothing _wrong._ And that unsettled him.

In that sense, he was more at ease with the more lackadaisical Governor-General of the Grigori, Azazel. It was the first time Issei had met the man, but he wasn't quite sure what to make of him. He was told by Rias that Azazel was extremely intelligent, and it was through his leadership that the Grigori pulled themselves out of the war and continued to grow, both in power and technology.

It was a bit hard to reconcile that with the man who looked like the entire world was amusing to him. Upon meeting the leaders and their retainers, he had applied the bare minimum of manners to avoid disrespect. And even then adressed everyone with the same behavior you would expect from someone meeting up with friends at a bar. Though, seeing the expressions on Sirzechs, Serafall and Michael, it seemed this was nothing new.

For the moment, the only other people in the room were Griselda and Vali who stood behind their superiors, acting as bodyguards. Issei wonder what that said about Sirzechs and Serafall that they didn't bring anyone, even if it was just for show. Minnie was visible, but was floating lazily in a corner of the room, munching on a pizza she probably bought with his money. Despite their curious and amused looks, Issei urged them to pay her no mind.

Originally, Issei had asked Minnie to stay with the two Devils camping out at his house. But he was immediately rebuffed as the child-like entity complained that: _'This is the most exciting thing to happen in centuries. You're insane if you think that I'm gonna miss it!'_

 **Well? They're all here. It's about time to begin.**

Issei had several decisions to make with regards to this meeting. The first question he came up with was, how the hell was he going to play this? He had pretty much accepted that he would have to rely on Nick for any maneuvering. On his own, he might be able to fool Rias and Sona, but these four were on another level entirely.

The real problem was that he had no clue how to handle the meeting itself. What should he get out of it? This conference was to establish peace between three hostile groups, but it also decided their future treatment of humans. What happens if they agree on something that he was against? Mediators don't have agendas, they offer compromises and prevent conflict. But should he just jump in whenever they contradicted something against his morals.

Granted, it was quite unlikely that he would even have to do that, since all of them seemed to be reasonable enough and he doubted an Archangel would tolerate anything potentially harmful. Then again, Griselda said that it has happened before. What's to say that it wouldn't happen again?

Fuck it. He was thinking in circles. And he shouldn't wait anymore. He stood up to his full height, doing his best to assume a posture of authority and confidence. "Well. Now that we are all here, I call this Peace Conference to order. I am Issei Hyoudou, acting as mediator, and I welcome you all to Kuoh."

In response, each of the leaders stood as well. "I am Sirzechs Lucifer, leader of the Four Great Satans, Head of Domestic Affairs."

"I am Serafall Leviathan, Head of Foreign Affairs." It took every bit of Issei's limited self control to stop himself from gawping at this information. The self-proclaimed Magical Girl Levia-tan with siscon tendencies was in charge of foreign relations? Who the Hell thought that was a good idea...

Oh yeah... He just answered his own question.

"My name is Azazel, the Governor-General of the Grigori." The Fallen Angel was extremely relaxed for somebody faced with potential enemies. He was leaning back in his chair, his tone set in a lazy drawl that somehow seemed charismatic.

"I am Michael, head of the Seraphim and the current leader of Heaven." Maybe he had imagined it, but Michael's benevolent smile seemed to dim slightly at his own introduction.

"Well, that's about as much formality as I can take." Issei said sheepishly. "I think I can speak for everyone here when I say we should get to business immediately."

"Agreed." Azazel grinned. "I never was one for propriety anyway. Might as well get to the point before everything goes pear-shaped, huh?"

"So pessimistic." Serafall chuckled. "I wouldn't have thought you would be so eager to rush through the proceedings, considering the recent developments."

 _Oh, come on. Already?!_

"Now, now. I thought that we've already assigned blame." Azazel replied languidly, one hand waving dismissively. "Kokabiel's out of commission and the Vatican has Galilei and their lost weapons. Can't get much better results than that."

"Nevertheless, because of your subordinate, two important heirs of very prominent houses were put under great risk." Sirzechs stressed.

"Excuse me, Lord Lucifer," Issei had to interject. "But isn't it also true that Lord Azazel gave Rias ample warning about Kokabiel, and that another of his subordinates helped to capture him?"

"Yes, exactly! I _helped_ you guys. If I didn't warn the lady about him and the Excaliburs, they would have been completely blindsided."

"And that is where I must apologise." Michael spoke up, still with the same gentle voice. "If it were not for our lack of proper security, the fragments would have never Fallen into his hands. On behalf of these churches, I am sorry."

"I didn't even know that the Excalibur fragments were usable. How long has the Church been secretly redeveloping ancient Holy Swords?" Serafall allowed a bit of an accusatory tone to bleed into her query.

"That's an unfair question, Lady Leviathan." Issei said. "Or are you saying that the Devils don't have any secret weapons or projects that could be used against Angels and Fallen Angels?"

Sirzechs smiled wryly. "You have us there. But I suppose that is the point of this conference. We can no longer focus on creating more efficient methods of killing one another." The crimson-haired Devil glanced at Issei, before speaking again. "Or other species for that matter."

"I sense that you are not just speaking in general." Michael frowned, leaning forward in his seat.

"Indeed. My sister told me of your deal, Azazel. You agreed to give her the details of the mechanism behind the Sacred Gear Extractor. You neglected to tell her that the host of the Sacred Gear would be killed by the procedure."

That made Issei freeze. It didn't take a genius to figure out what a 'Sacred Gear Extractor was, and he knew that Sacred Gears were extremely rare and valuable to all factions. A machine that could extract one would be highly coveted. Except for its defect. One that probably wasn't seen as a defect by the majority of supernaturals. Just an inconvenient side-effect.

For his part, Azazel only grinned. "And now you know why I just handed it over to the young miss. The Extractor's pretty effective, but far too clumsy and inefficient for my tastes. Why do you think it was so easy for it to get lost? They were being scrapped, traded in for something new. Sacred Gears are a rare commodity, but to me, Sacred Gear _users_ are of far greater value."

"I am slightly afraid to ask, but what is this 'something new' that you are currently developing?" Michael probed.

"Now _that_ would be telling." Azazel replied. "But I assure you that we now have a health and safety rep in our R&D department to ensure that no creature, human or otherwise is harmed during production." _And now he sounds like an infomercial..._

"And we're just supposed to take your word for it?" The Leviathan glared at him, her glacial eyes demanding the truth.

"Well, yeah." Azazel said as if it were obvious. "Interspecies co-operation and all that, right? Don't worry, I'll release the findings once they're finalized. I just don't like announcing incomplete research."

"I'm feeling better already." It took every bit of Issei's limited self-control to keep his voice from groaning. "But this brings up another issue. It was the secret nature of the Excalibur fragments that let the situation escalate. If you are all serious about making an active peace agreement, rather than one that just promises not to start hostilities, there needs to be open communication between the factions."

"While I am all for establishing proper communicaton channels, I'm afraid that others would not be so willing to share sensitive information." Michael said thoughtfully.

"And highborn Devils will be even more difficult to convince." Serafall grimaced.

"Well, you may have to worry about my people on that front. Most of the warmongering spirit died with Kokabiel's sad excuse of an uprising. Most of the rank and file was just being bullied into it, and don't want to stir up any trouble." Azazel reported. "But we pride ourselves in our technology and knowledge. It would be difficult to convince them to share these developments."

"If knowledge is their goal, I am sure that they can be enticed with more esoteric sources from different factions." Michael mused. "Thankfully, if there is one thing Angels know how to do, it's how to follow orders. But there will be discord among the various churches. Tensions will be inevitable when they learn of this treaty."

"They'll all have to live with it." Issei said. "I mean, laws and treaties mean nothing if no-one enforces them. You need to recruit people you trust, people who actually want to maintain peace."

"An interesting suggestion." Sirzechs nodded. "Easier said than done, though."

Serafall sighed. "I suppose as head of Foreign Affairs, I will have to take responsibility for that. But while this is important, I can't exactly listen to everyone whining about every little issue."

"Is the Devil community truly that xenophobic?" There was no derision in Michael's voice, just simple curiosity.

Luckily, neither of the Satans were offended. "The commoners would be easier to sway. But in order to convince the nobility, they must be willing to set down their pride willingly. We need to incentivize them, otherwise they will grow to resent the treaty that they will see as a form of oppression." Sirzechs answered.

"Well, what do Devils value more than their pride?" Issei asked.

Sirzechs and Serafall exchanged a knowing glance, before the Lucifer responded with a wry smile. "Power. Whatever form it may take."

"What a troublesome race... Not that we're much better." Azazel remarked. "So, the Grigori wants to be left alone. The Devils want power, and... what do the Boy Scouts want, again?"

All eyes turned to Michael, who didn't buckle under the pressure even the slightest bit. "That is a complicated question."

"Then please simplify it."

Michael took a breath. "Please understand, that even after hundreds of years, the knowledge of God's... death... has been mostly contained to Heaven. I set forth a decree that forbade any Angel from speaking of it, but...

"The humans who believe in us want to serve God. They want to live under his law, his love. The Angels want order. They are still lost without our Father and many are on the verge of falling. To make things worse, new Angels cannot be created due to God's death. I try to keep them busy, have them focus on their tasks of being the protectors and guardians of the humans, but still many are on the verge of falling.

"As for myself? I am the same. I want a direction. I sit on the Throne of God and curse myself for doing so, but I know that it is necessary. Every day I worry that an Angel I greeted in the morning will lose themselves and fall before the day ends. If I had to simplify it, what I want, what we all want is... stability."

A silence fell over the room, as each leader contemplated their next words.

 **Well now... This just solves itself.** Nick said, sounding very pleased with himself.

 _Umm... Did you hear the same conversation I did? 'Cause I'm even more sure that this is a lost cause._

 **That shows how much you have left to learn. Now follow my lead.**

 _Do I have a choice?_

Issei cleared his throat to get his attention. "Sorry for the interruption, but I believe I have a solution. Actually the solution has already been proposed. First though, let me lay out the situation.

"Rias has told me that the Devil population has dwindled since the Great War. The upper echelons may sneer, but they all accept the Reincarnated Devil system. Because they don't just want to build up the population, they want to make the population stronger. And Sacred Gears are a quick way to increase a Devil's power, throught their peerage at least. In other words, whoever controls the next generation of Reincarnated Sacred Gear users, controls the Devil community. That about right?"

"Spot on." Sirzechs said, smiling.

"Lord Azazel, the Fallen Angels are the smallest amongst the Biblical Factions. You don't want conflict, that would be a disaster for you. But at the same time your people need and want security and protection. Your new research may be more humane, but I'm betting it's still on Sacred Gears. I saw who Kokabiel recruited, only of them were Fallen, the rest were humans. I'm guessing the general population is the same."

"What are you getting at, Hyoudou-san?" Michael's voice was not impatient, but there was confusion.

"Almost there. The Angels have a diminishing population. The Heaven System has been weakened, lessening the effects of holy energy and blessed objects. Furthermore, this is the twenty-first century. Religion isn't exactly as popular as the good old days, is it?."

Minnie sniggered.

"What you're saying is," Sirzechs said, ignoring the snickers. "We are all weakened, but no-one wants to outright admit it. I'll tell you, while Serafall and I are willing to be forthright in pursuit of peace and co-operation, the community will not support any decision that makes them feel inferior."

"In much the same way," Michael added. "Many members of the flock will not look favorably on any action that will have Devils and Fallen Angels in a seemingly superior position. Ah, I mean no offense."

"None taken."

"Feeling's mutual."

"Then don't." Issei said simply. "Angels, Devils, Fallen Angels, they don't trust each other one bit. No matter how well this meeting goes, it's not gonna overwrite thousands of years of hostility. We can't force it. That's where those recruits come in."

"I think I see what you're getting at. An official and recognized group that is responsible for keeping an eye on the actions of all three factions." Sirzechs deduced. "That wouldn't help. Just because I would trust my representative, does not mean that any of them would trust each other."

"They don't have to."

"Isn't that the point?"

"Not at the moment. For this to work the most important thing you all have to give every representative, is access and freedom of movement."

"That's a dangerous thing to grant a foreign emissary." Serafall frowned.

"Not unlimited access. I'm not saying you should give up every secret. But let me ask you all this. When was the last time a Devil stepped into Fallen Angel territory? Or an Angel visited the Underworld? Has a Devil ever been invited to Heaven for even a single meeting?"

"Devils would be weakened in the atmosphere of Heave-"

"Which means that any threat they could possibly pose goes down. The Angels are safe and I'm pretty sure no-one would be stupid enough to take on an entire army alone. And as for the safety of the emissary, are you saying that the Angels are so paranoid, they would attack somebody under the flag of truce, approved by their leaders? That goes for all of you, by the way.

"The only thing your people know is that they have spent centuries killing each other. Nothing else. If all they have to go on is history rather than current events, then it does't matter what lines we feed them. Fear and loathing is all they will _feel_."

"Kid has a point." Azazel nodded, his arms crossed. "But kid, you should never underestimate common stupidity. All it takes is one good little soldier to get the wrong idea about the meaning of patriotism and suddenly they're all rioting. These representatives will have to be looking over their shoulder for a while."

"Like they wouldn't do that already?" Serafall remarked. "Our most trusted people are the ones who have fought wars for centuries. I'm guessing they're used to looking around corners and being paranoid."

"And they can probably take care of themselves if a fight does break out." Issei tacked on. "There's also an added bonus from this. These reps are well-known. The people trust them and what they have to say. The higher-ups, especially the nobility, will still be skeptical, but it'll be hard for them to argue with the masses."

"It would open doors towards further interactions with other factions." Michael mused. "If they can get past the initial bias and mistrust, we can facilitate more numerous interactions."

"Perhaps we can involve the younger generations." Sirzechs suggested. "Rias and Sona have begun with Xenovia-san. Younger Devils wouldn't be so prejudiced towards other races. Not _as_ prejudiced, anyway."

 **See that? Give out a good idea and they will jump on it themselves.**

 _I'm just surprised they haven't thought of it before._

 **It would be the height of foolishness to think that we were the first to think of it. I am willing to bet that such a simple solution would have already occurred to them a long time ago.**

 _But why not say anything?_

 **There is too much risk. No-one is willing to place themselves in a disadvantageous position. If one party proposes this idea, and no-one else accepts, the proposer would have admitted being in a weakened situation with no benefit.**

 **Probably why they shanghai-ed you into doing this in the first place.** Ulrich commented.

 _Huh... Hire someone who has an interest in seeing this conference go well, but doesn't really give a crap about any of the factions in particular. That is pretty smart Though I am kinda annoyed at being used like that, I suppose things could be worse._

"It may start with just one or a few, but it will help to ease people's anxieties about potential enemies and help them stop thinking of other races as, well, potential enemies."

"And instead as potential resources, is that it?" Azazel laughed.

"I was going for something a bit more optimistic... But either way it's a hell of a lot better than trying to exterminate each other."

"True." Azazel conceded that point. "On the topic of resources, I suppose there are many possessed by Devils and Angels that we would be interested in. And don't even deny that you guys aren't interested in what we have to offer."

"I wasn't going to." said Sirzechs. "Devils are much more willing to do something unpleasant to them if they think they will benefit. If we go through this, though, be warned that there will be a horde of Devils looking to take advantage."

"So, business as usual, is what he's saying!" Serafall chirped.

"I am still quite anxious about our more... zealous comrades." Michael knit his fingers together in thought. "Rationality does not always triumph over feelings of duty. Even the senior members of the clergy and the higher-class of Angels are prone to this. The Seraphs might be able to keep them in line, but their resentment will only fester and spread throughout the ranks if left unchecked."

Issei caught Vali's eye. The silver-haired halfling smirked slightly, before raising an eyebrow and jerking his head slightly towards the leaders. _Well?_

"So let's give them another incentive. We've talked about the carrot, now the stick. Perhaps you have already heard of them, but there is-"

And, story of his life, he was interrupted before he could get to the good stuff.

"Hyoudou-san!" Rias burst into the room, the Occult Research Club and the Student Council just behind her, all equally aggravated. "I deeply apologize for the interruption, but this is an emergency. There has been an attack on your home!"

With one statement, the atmosphere changed completely, though one wouldn't have known by just guessing. Each of the leaders and their accompanying retainers maintained their facades of calm, or in Azazel's case, relaxed amusement. But a careful observer would be able to see the slight crinkling in their eyes, the caution in their bodies. No matter how benevolent these people seemed, they all knew war and were prepared to face it once again.

"What?!" Rias tossed him a cellphone. His phone, to be precise, which had a call in progress.

Tricky thing, wards. They can protect against almost anything, as long as it's specified. There is no one ward that functions to keep away everything, so one must learn to effectively weave them together in a delicate balance. Delicate because one misplaced rune could disable the entire system. And that was the best case scenario. The system in question repelled those with malicious intentions and any magical attacks. It also sealed in anyone inside until the master (Issei) inputted a specific command. With such a high maintenance security system, you need a little variables as possible.

And one variable that apparently even an Ultimate-Class Devil didn't think of, is the 21st century cellphone. It wasn't as if the wards sealed the house in time and space, only from magic. Human tech was often overlooked.

[Senpai] Shirone's voice rang out from the speaker.

"Sh- Koneko! What's happening?"

[Right now, nothing. A bunch of people showed up and started shooting magic, but the defenses didn't even crack. By the time I called Rias-buchou, they had given up and disappeared. I couldn't tell what race they were.]

"Disappeared? Why attack my house? Why would they give up so easily?"

" **[Forbidden Balor View]** " Sirzechs answered. "They must have wanted to take advantage of Gasper-kun's abilities to disrupt the conference. They would have to bet on a surprise attack, but now that that has failed..."

"Are they stupid enough to attack this place directly?"

"It's not so much stupidity as it is desperation." said Azazel, still looking relaxed. "This is the best opportunity they're ever going to get."

"There _are_ several garrisons of warriors just outside." Michael reminded them all. "But like I said, no-one ever accused a zealot of being logical. Miss Gremory," he addressed the heiress who snapped to attention. "Have the guards been informed of the situation?"

"Yes, Lord Michael. They have increased alerts and have taken up battle formations." Rias responded with confidence befitting her position. "Thankfully, not against each other." she added.

"It's too simple." Issei muttered. "Would these people really bet everything on capturing a half-vampire? They can't be that stupid... We're missing something... Another trump card..."

Then the floor collapsed.

* * *

Far away from the action, on a cliff in the outskirts of Kuoh, a young man can be seen lounging against a crimson motorcycle, looking over the ensuing chaos. "Ah, Sis, the hell have ya gotten yourself into this time? Thought I was the troublemaker here... Pfft!" Despite his reprimanding words, the boy could barely hold back fits of laughter.

"Hah... Y'always did look for interestin' stuff. And interestin' people. I'm the same, so I can't really blame ya, but..." The boy's eyes sharpened, the color of blood leaking into the sclera, and the irises turning pitch black. "Of all the people to run into, ya had to pick that piece of shit..."

The boy began to grin. "Actually, maybe this ain't so bad... Maybe this is what people call destiny?"

"Perhaps. But your destinies will not intertwine just yet."

The young man sprang to his feet, with reflexes faster than a human could ever hope to achieve, before relaxing just as quickly. "Ah, jeez... you're here too? Don't tell me it's because of that prick."

Hovering in front of him, was the diminutive figure of Ophis, the Infinite Dragon God. "My motives are none of your business. You may choose to intervene at a later date, but not today."

"Not today?" The boy echoes incredulously. "Ya know who I am. Don'cha think that's a bit unreasonable to ask?"

"It was not a request." Black snakes sprang from thin air. Despite the boy's superhuman physical prowess, the pitch black serpents had already coiled around him. His arms, his legs, his waist, his neck, they had even begun constricting his motorcycle. "You will not interfere today. You will stay quiet, or you will leave."

The boy took one look at his situation and sighed. "Alright, alright! Fuckin' hell, just lay off the bike!" Instantly, the flood of snakes receded. He rubbed his neck, while glaring at the gothic little girl who wasn't even looking at him anymore.

"Little bitch..." he mumbled under his breath, but he knew the girl heard it. She just didn't care. He inspected the areas where the serpents gripped his bike. They had been slightly corroded, as if by acid, but it was much smoother. it was as if the parts were simply erased. The boy shook his head but said nothing about the damage. He only needed to wave his hand and the vehicle was repaired in a blink of an eye.

"Fine, kid. I'll stay on the sidelines for this one. I'll tell ya now, though, those people won't even scuff that asshole's shoes. And that's only if my sister doesn't join in. Without me, you're gonna have a pretty boring show."

"..."

"...Hang on, those things are your handiwork, ain't it?"

He didn't wait for an answer. The blond's grin grew manic and he mounted his bike. The engine rumbled loudly and oppressively, invading the peaceful forest surroundings. "Don't worry, I ain't gonna touch anythin'. But if you're gonna have a hand in this..." He didn't finish, instead ending the statement with a mad cackle. With a whoop of almost childish joy, the blood-red bike blasted off of the cliff, a small streak shooting off into the sky, far above the ruins Kuoh Academy.

As for Ophis, she set herself down onto the cliff, watching the black reptilian creatures emerge from the wreckage.

* * *

 **Again, sorry this took so long. I finished my exams about a week and a half ago, thank fuck. But after that I had taken a few days to relax. Also, I didn't really have a plan for this chapter, and I had to spend some time to get back into the rhythm of the story. Ya know, remind myself what I was doing. No to mention I know zilch about politics.**

 **So, we have more characters and a hijacked conference. I know it ain't much after a month of being incognito, but I can't jump straight into things can I? Good news is, next chapter should come pretty soon!**

 **Read, favorite, fo- ah, screw it, you know the drill at this point. Peace out bitches!**


	18. Chapter 18: Spark Testing II

The First Flame

 **I'm back, baby!**

 **(These boobies ain't mine)**

 **Chapter 18: Spark Testing II**

The first thing that Issei thought of was: _Finally, the suspense was killing me..._

Immediately after the floor of the conference caved in, Griselda created a magic platform to hold them all. That didn't stop the walls and the ceiling from caving in. Those were handled by Serafall. Actually, 'handled' them was an understatement. It would be more accurate to say that she blew them away with so much force that they were cracked open and reduced to rubble and shredded steel.

It didn't stop there. Rays of energy assaulted them from below, but a dark crimson energy intercepted each one, dissipating it into harmless motes of light. Before Issei could see the source of this energy, Griselda quickly raised the platform, just as the stones below them erupted once more.

A chilling laugh emanated from below them. No, it was a several... things laughing (no sane person would call them people). Their voices were cold and rasping, and they echoed ominously, as if speaking in stereo. Issei barely had time to discern more before a more rays of light came into view, this time from the outside. Lances of light blasted into the crater, scorching the shattered concrete and melting the torn steel bars. Issei looked for the source and traced it to the garrison of Angels, their wings splayed proudly, armed with glowing spears continuously launched at the enemy.

"Looks like you guys still have that 'smite first, ask questions later' doctrine." Azazel observed the barrage of light below them. "Not that I'm complaining for this particular instance."

"Yes, I would have it changed, but unfortunately it _is_ a tried and true method. Griselda, please move us to the school courtyard." The order was unnecessary, as the nun had already begun moving them. And as soon as she had begun, the barrage died down. But not because the Angels had deemed their attack sufficient.

Swarms of people clad in black cloaks shot out of the wreckage in all directions. Issei was not surprised to see most of them sporting one or more pairs of black bat wings. They fearlessly, or recklessly, rushed at the surrounding soldiers, not differentiating between Angel, Fallen, or Devil. Issei had just enough time to witness them clash before he had to deal with other problems.

 _Something_ flew out of the clouds of dust, something exuding malice and power. Acting on impulse, Issei shot a pillar of flame towards it. The incoming figure didn't make a move to dodge or defend, and collided with the burst of fire. Issei's flame continued to rage down on it, stopping its flight, but judging from the growing laughter, it wasn't having much effect. The last remnants of the flame cleared revealing the monstrosity they were dealing with.

It, or rather _she_ , was humanoid, the twisted limbs ending in sharpened claws, and he could see a long tail. Issei could make out half of a face, a face that used to be beautiful, but has been twisted and corrupted beyond all reason. Her one visible eye glowed with unearthly power, but contained no sense or reason. Her veins were black and bulging, at least from what he could see of her skin.

The rest of her body was completely coated with darkness. But not the kind of shadows that Minnie produced. Her shadows were always shifting, always hungry. They carried _hunger_ in every way, always ready to devour anything they touch. This was something else. This darkness was... more complete. It drove his eyes crazy just to look at it, like his brain couldn't even recognize the pitch black. It was a glitch in the fabric of reality. He couldn't even see the contours of her body through it because she looked so 2-dimensional. He would freely admit that it scared the hell out of him. Emblazoned on her chest, almost like a brand, was a dark purple serpent coiled into a sideways figure eight. The symbol of infinity.

"Oh, Katerea, what have you done to yourself?" Sirzechs' whisper caught their attention.

"You know who that is?" Michael seemed to be baffled as well. He probably could not discern what was in front of them all as well.

"I know who it used to be." Sirzechs' voice was grave. "Katerea Leviathan."

 _The Old Satan Faction._ Issei looked at Vali who met his gaze with his own stern expression. There was none of the knowing smugness that he had expected. _So he knew they would attack, but didn't know how or what this is._

"Ah, Katerea, I remember her. Well, whatever's left of old Katie, it's not there anymore." Azazel remarked. "And she doesn't seem to be the only one." He jerked his head to one side, where the Devils had met the terrorists in midair combat. That was when Issei realized that what he thought were cloaks, were in fact the same shadows that Katerea were wrapped in. However they somehow felt less powerful, and had nowhere near the hatred that Katerea exuded.

 _._ They were left no room to discuss further, as the being that was once Katerea Leviathan resumed her attack. She raised one deformed hand, but instead of the laser show Issei expected, the hand pulsed and exploded. Before he could even process what just happened, Michael had already moved forward. He wasn't even a blur to Issei, all he could see were flashes of gold deflecting several black tendrils. if he unfocused his eyes, it looked like Michael was in dozens of places at once.

And that speed seemed to be a great advantage, because from what he could see, these black tentacles had a huge range, making craters and monstrous grooves in the ground as they were deflected.

"That creepy ability is as dangerous as always." Serafall snarled, before her expression softened slightly. "So-tan, Ria-tan, get outta here. Listen to your onee-sama, okay?" she cut off any protest. "This is not someting you can handle. If you're really itching for a fight, take care of the small fry for us."

The heiresses looked like they wanted to argue further, but Issei say their eyes flick to Katerea's nightmarish form. They were as terrified of it as he was. "...Understood. We'll take command of the garrison."

"Onii-chan, don't take any chances with this one." Minnie whispered to him.

"Wasn't planning to. Listen. The others... I don't know if they can handle something like this."

"Hoh? You're right about that. They'll be torn to shreds, but I think they'll put up a good fight."

"That's great, but I would really like it if we could prevent the 'torn to shreds' part."

"Ehh..." Minnie really seemed to be in internal conflict here. "I was looking forward to the show... but I suppose it wouldn't be any fun if it's too one-sided. Alright, I'll step in if it gets to that point."

"That's probably the best that I could expect from you. Now, scram." Issei probably shouldn't have snapped at her, but he couldn't even take his eyes of the behemoth in front of them.

"I shall support the troops as well." Griselda said, accompanying the departing young Devils. Which left the leaders to deal with Katerea. Issei briefly sondered if this was overkill, but he caught the expressions on the others' faces. They were just as unsettled. Whoever this woman was in the past, maybe one of them would have been enough to handle her. But as she is now, they were not going to take any risks.

Except for one person.

"Well, Vali? Aren't you gonna go play with the other kids?" Azazel asked his subordinate, who was equally disrespectful.

"As if you're pulling me away from that freak show." Vali scoffed. Without another word, he had activated **[Balance Breaker]** , and suddenly, flashes of blue had joined Michael. Vali's intervention slowed down the tentacles enough to be visible. Michael stayed n the defensive, but he didn't seem the least bit tired. Vali went on the offense, weaving through the tendrils and blasting or punching any that came too close. However, the moment he got within striking distance, Katerea _moved_.

She practically blinked out of existence, but this wasn't Issei's first battle with an enemy with a speed advantage, and he had gotten better since then. A nanosecond after she vanished, white fire exploded a foot in front of Serafall. The Satan was not affected by the blast, but her mad predecessor suffered extreme blowback, launching her into the sky. The black figure hadn't even reached the apex of her ascent, before Michael intercepted.

Issei finally got a good look of the Archangel in battle. There was no trace of the kind and caring air from before. Michael's face was blank, no hostility, no joy, no rage, no emotion whatsoever. All that was left was a soldier. A fierce, absolute weapon of Heaven. A being of power that will strike with the wrath of God behind him.

In this instance, Heaven's judgement took the form of an intensely glowing lightsword in Michael's hands. He swung it downwards faster than he could follow. However, they could all could _feel_ its effects. The shockwave was tremendous, making it necessary for Azazel to erect a translucent barrier. If he had missed, Issei was confident he would have slice the air in two, and a good chunk of the earth along with it. To the side, he could see the battling forces be buffeted by the hurricane-force winds.

And yet, the monster did not budge. Both of them were stuck in midair, the blade of light lodged in Katerea's blackened arm. The arm began to shift and pulse in a way they've seen before, right before it separated into tentacles and grasped the sword and Michael. However, a white-and-blue blur slammed into Katerea, wrenching her away from the Archangel. Vali continued to push until Katerea sprouted wings of her own and threw him off. They ascended higher, clashing again and again.

 **[DivideDivideDivideDivideDivideDivideDivideDivideDivideDivideDivideDivide]**

Vali's wings shone from the massive amounts of added power, but Katerea suffered no visible drawback. Why would she? No matter how much Vali drained, if she was being supported by the Infinite Dragon God, her energy can always be replenished. But Vali still gave it his best shot.

Michael did not give chase. Instead he appeared in front of them once again. "There is something wrong."

"Ya think?" Azazel snarked.

Michael ignored him. "When sword struck that woman, I could feel my blade weakening. By a significant amount." He held it up for examination, but Issei could see nothing wrong with it. "It was not being absorbed, I would have noticed such a large surge of energy. It was simply being-"

"Nullified." Issei finished for him.

All eyes present turned to him. "Do you know what has happened to her?" Sirzechs demanded.

"Sort of." He hesitated for a bit, before deciding there ws no reason to keep it secret. "Do any of you know of someone called Ophis?"

He heard all of them suck in a breath. "Why is it..." Sirzechs began, before shaking his head. "It doesn't matter now. but you _will_ tell us why it is involved after this is over."

"I was planning on it."

"Serafall, our troops-"

"I know, they're not equipped for something like this. I'll try and rally the Angels and Fallen Angels as well. I'll keep them alive and out of the way. But depending on how bad this gets, I could get carried away."

"Just try not to blow up a continent." Issei quipped, with some genuine concern mixed in there as well.

The Leviathan smirked. "No promises."

She made it halfway to the heat of battle before she was slammed to the ground. The resulting cloud of dust concealed the two of them, but they didn't have to wait for it to settle. A brief flash lit up before the cloud of dust froze. Literally. The temperature dropped so rapidly the stone pavement cracked and the air solidified, the dust suspended in it. An instant later, a horrifying crack rang out and the frozen structure was broken by a shadow bursting out.

"Huh, looks like you're still holding a grudge. I'm surprised you can even recognize me in the sorry state you're in." Serafall didn't look damaged, save for the dirt on her suit and a tear on her skirt. But she did look irritated, an emotion that looked far more terrifying than it should have. "On second thoughts, Sirzechs, the soldiers can take care of themselves for once. She's made this personal."

Katerea, on the other hand, had definitely seen better days. She hit the ground with a hard impact and took several moments to get up. Not because of exhaustion or pain, but because Serafall had shattered two of her limbs. Her right arm and left leg to be precise. But to Issei's surprise and horror, the surrounding nothingness writhed. Katerea released a chaotic, bestial roar and the limbs regrew near instantly.

"Well, isn't that fantastic." Issei groaned. He turned to the crimson-haired Satan. "Do you think you can overpower that?"

"Depends on how generous her benefactor is being."

Katerea roared once again, this time, her entire body erupted into black tentacles, whipping at every single one of them and forcing them to scatter. The corrupted woman raised her head, but this time, not at Serafall.

Issei crashed into the ground a hundred meters away before his brain could register the pain. Flames erupted in his chest, his legs and his face as he desperately tried to make sense of what just happpened.

 **Issei! Issei! Calm down! Do not panic! You will be fine!**

Seraphina's steady stream of calming words helped Issei ground himself, but there was still a healthy amount of fear in him. Before his eyes had even finished healing, he ignited his feet, incinerating his footwear but launching him into the sky. Away from what hit him. As another precaution, he summoned another shield of fire to protect him.

He was barely off the ground when another explosion threw him off balance, making him scramble in the air for a few moments. Looking back, he spotted Katerea faltering in midair, one side healing from large burn marks, the other shaking off shards of bloody icicles.

Issei could only watch as Vali and the leaders orbited Katerea's raging form, inflicting devastating wounds that disappeared so quickly it was as if time was reversing. He watched the black tentacles swing in supersonic speeds and various spells of tremendous power being activated.

 _Ophis... what the hell are you up to?_

* * *

The troops were having their own problems. They outnumbered the Khaos Brigade three to one. They were trained, they were disciplined, and oddly enough, they were united. They weren't particularly coordinated, but they were willing to band together against a common threat. All that made very little difference to this particular enemy.

The reptilian figures wreathed in absolute darkness were disorganized, and mindless in their assault. In terms of power, on average they were on the level of a Middle-Class Devil. The human mages that accompanied them were physically weaker, and because of their compromised mental states, they were limited to basic spells and were unable to co-ordinate their casting.

The problem was they just wouldn't stay down.

"Do not panic!" Griselda roared, her slim frame belied her resonating commanding voice. Despite being human, her status as Michael's aide and her experience in battle made her suitable to be a commander. "Conserve your energy. Only make your move when you are certain of a killing strike!"

The Angels and the Fallen Angels had taken point, since they were better equipped to combat Devils. Rias and Sona had directed their troops to employ diversionary tactics, because the rage-filled terrorists seemed to prefer going after them.

They were average in strength, and they were basically thoughtless, but their regenerative abilities made them relentless. Even killing strikes only slowed them down for several seconds, and any attempt to prepare magic to destroy them completely was immediately disrupted. The magicians were just as persistent. Their spells may be basic, but each one was so supercharged and they had no problem with firing them in quick succession. This was turning into a battle of attrition they would inevitably lose.

They would have begun retreating, if not for the Princess of Ruin.

They had quickly realized that Rias' **[Power of Destruction]** was very effective in slowing down the regeneration. However, she could only do so much. In order to fully destroy even one enemy, Rias had to devote all of her concentration in one target. Otherwise, they would heal faster than she could destroy them. It seems even their endless energy was useless

So they had switched to a new tactic, picking them off one at a time. Those with holy weapons and magic struck as many killing blows as they could to minimize the energy Rias would have to spend to obliterate every scrap of flesh.

It was effective, but not particularly efficient. They had only managed to kill half a dozen attackers before Rias started to get winded, and they started to incur losses on their side as well. And the enemy still numbered in the fifties.

 _This is taking too long._ Griselda thought. _I cannot believe I'm thinking this, but if the_ _ **[Power of Destruction]**_ _is necessary, we need Lord Lucifer. But he's facing a superior enemy along with the other leaders. With so many of them, it is certain that they will be victorious. But I don't know how long we can delay them._

A pained shout drew her attention to the other Devil heiress. The Sitri girl was bleeding from her shoulder. Non-fatal, but still very dangerous judging by the rate of blood loss. The Devils, including the girl's peerage, had swarmed around her, breaking formation to protect and evacuate the noble. She could spot Xenovia aiding them, the aura of Durandal blasting her enemies apart from the pressure alone. Irina was supporting her, Excalibur Mimic dancing around her enemies, leaving deep, steaming gashes which healed seconds later.

Seeing this, Griselda decided it was time for a brute force approach. She rallied everyone making long-range attacks, including herself, and ordered a barrage of high-powered spells, targeted at multiple opponents. The **[Power of Destruction]** was extremely convenient for this situation, but there was more than way to totally destroy a body.

Within seconds, over twenty of the terrorists had suffered grievous injuries, but they did not give them a chance to fully regenerate. Griselda directed them to focus on the most damaged Devils and sustain fire. Allies nearby immediately hacked and viciously tore them apart and cremating the pieces of flesh. Wasteful, but thorough and the kill was certain. They needed to get rid of the largest threats first.

The other terrorists were still going after the Devils who were on the defensive. They seemed to be holding them off rather well. Until one of the berserkers, a Devil, started acting stranger than usual.

One of them just became more... visible. The maddening blackness surrounding him faded, to be replaced with something less sinister, but equally alarming. A magic circle appeared in the Devil's midsection, one that Griselda was all too familiar with from her past missions.

Fortunately, looks like one of them noticed it too.

" **[Promotion: Rook]**!"

A long, purple cord lashed out and twirled itself around the now incandescent Devil. A second later, the Devil was harshly yanked forward like a ragdoll. However, he didn't go very far. Still in midair, with no chance to regain his bearings, he was met with a black lizard shaped gauntlet to its face. The blond Pawn roared as he punched the Devil with enough force to make him rocket backwards with a mach cone.

Not a moment too soon. The instant he crashed into the ground, the glow increased, and the suicide spell activated. All allied forces had already fled, each one having been educated on the dangers of this spell. None of them were prepared for the actual activation.

The blast was blinding. They had erected barriers, and the bomber was punched over three hundred meters away, but they could all feel the heat and blast. Griselda's ears were ringing, but something more unnerving penetrated the white noise. The dulled sounds of battle forced her to blink her eyes rapidly to recover from the effects of the flash. Suddenly, her battle-tested instincts screamed at her, and she blindly, but skilfully swung her light blade. She parried the following impact and thrust forwards, rewarding her with the telltale signs of Devil flesh suffering under the energy of Heaven.

The dark spots in her vision persisted, and it was taking every bit of skill and she had to evade and deflect attacks. And she was sure that there were several people attacking her, and these people were completely unaffected by the blast. What made it worse was that they themselves were all in a vulnerable state. If another enemy decided to bite the bullet, they would not have ample time to react.

Her eyes finally cleared, but her surroundings were too chaotic and her attention too occupied to truly get a grasp on the situation around her. All she knew is that she was facing three Devils, all unarmed, but they attacked ferociously with their newly-acquired claws and serpentine tails. She was injured, and she was tiring. She was losing this fight.

"Ah, yes, yes. That's enough of that. It was funny at first, but now it's gotten predictable."

An invisible wave of pure force washed over the entire area. Griselda could feel the increased pressure on her skin, an ocean bearing down on all of them, making it near impossible to breath. She could only imagine how difficult it was for the weaker ones.

Her attackers had it the worst. They were slammed to the ground with enough force to shatter bone, and afterwards they were pushed back. Looking around, t seemed that it was the same situation. That telekinetic force had separated the terrorists from the defenders.

And hovering in the middle of it all, was a bored little girl.

She eyed the battle-crazed attackers with only the _slightest_ hints of curiosity, but it faded instantly. "Hmph. I really don't expect any more from you." she sniffed daintily, but no less disdainfully.

She waved her hand, and another horror arose.

The corpses of their fallen comrades, which were scattered across the battlefield, began to twitch. To their shared horror, their bodies shriveled up. The horrid stench of decomposition wafted to their noses. Skin turned to paper, muscle rapidly deteriorated, their eyes melted leaving gruesome, hollow sockets. Wings, Angel or Devil, became bony and tattered. The mummified remains rose, the sickening crunch of bone ringing as their bodies straightened out. Their bodies became translucent, making it difficult to make out details even when looking at them directly. The ghouls moved sluggishly, convening to form a rough formation, more like a mob, against the enemy.

Griselda could not help but stare into those empty eyeholes. Something whispered to her, something primal clawed at her soul. The invasive presence dominated her mind, gripping it tight, and she would have collapsed if her body wasn't so wound up. The zombie looked away and she felt the air leave her burning lungs.

The beautiful young girl barely looked at her grotesque creations. In fact, she wasn't focusing much on anything. Her obsidian eyes flicked down at them for just a millisecond. "Well? Get on with it."

The undead creatures shrieked, and the battle of nightmares resumed.

What followed next could not be called a battle. Not because it was a one-sided massacre. Not because it wasn't violent. But because the scene in front of them was so far removed from their experiences of combat. If one had to compare it to anything, it was like a demented feeding frenzy.

The ghouls did not run, they _glided_ across the battlefield, swirling around them like ghosts. Any attack against them, physical or magical were effortlessly evaded by fluttering like paper or bending their bodies in ways impossible for a living person.

And then the ghouls attacked.

It happened so quickly, Griselda wasn't sure if it actually happened. But in the space of a second, every single wraith had attached itself to an opponent. Their mouths opened grotesquely wide, and they proceeded to ravenously tear into flesh. With almost mechanical timing, they bit down again and again, each time removing a large chunk of meat.

Of course, these 'victims' did not take this standing still. The thrashed around, clawing at the undead were flying into the ground, trying to dislodge their passengers. But the damage, no matter how severe, was completely ignored. They latched on with strength that should not have been possible for mere skin and bones. And even with their bodies destroyed, even with only the head remaining, their jaws latched on and refused to let go.

Initially, she couldn't help but wonder what the purpose of this was, because she fully expected those horrible wounds to heal rapidly. All that was being accomplished was making a minor nuisance for them. Except they didn't heal. The flesh was torn, but the wounds persisted.

And the flesh wasn't the only thing taken. Every bite made the strange essence recede, as if it was being sucked up along with fat and muscle. Another terrorist made an attempt to initiate a suicide spell, but he barely got started. The undead were drawn to him like flies to a corpse and stripped him to the bone in seconds.

"Too easy, wouldn't you say?"

Griselda nearly died of shock upon hearing the young, yet dulcet tones right next to her. However, that shock was quickly replaced by confusion.

"Too easy?" _What kind of magic can reanimate dozens of people from different species? What kind of necromancy can produce ravenous, energy-draining ghouls that can stand up to empowered Devils?_ "What have you done to them?"

"Hmm? Oh, don't worry, it's not permanent. You can bury or do whatever you do to dead people once I'm done with them. They are..." the girl cocked her head to one side, searching for words. "...just a little variation of something I learned from my trip to Ireland." she settled on.

"And I know I make it look easy, but _she_ didn't really want to kill you guys. I suppose she wanted you out of the way. She's only going after Onii-chan. She just overestimated you guys. She's kinda absent-minded like that."

"Absent-minded..." Were they really so insignificant to these people that their lives were put on the line because of a whim?

The girl must have noticed her affronted expression. "Ah, don't pout. And don't take it personally. She thinks that everyone is insignificant."

The girl smirked, giggling at an inside joke. "None more so than herself."

* * *

Issei was beginning to feel rather frustrated.

He was under no illusions as to how difficult this battle was going to be. They were battling a woman who was powerful enough to challenge the Satans. A woman who was receiving power from one of the strongest beings in existence.

Despite that, he couldn't help but grind his teeth after watching her reform for the sixth damn time.

This time, Katerea had recovered from being annihilated by Sirzechs' overwhelming **[Power of Destruction]**. Annihilated seemed to be the right word, as the destruction was so complete, there were not even ashes left. Sirzechs had trapped Katerea within a bubble of crimson energy and they all watched her disintegrate into tinier and tinier pieces. But just like the first time Sirzechs did this, her body merely reformed out of thin air.

Serafall had got her licks in as well, flash freezing Katerea and turning her into snowflakes. Michael had called on a waterfall of light that made the Satans wince, scorching the ground ten meters deep. Issei himself had incinerated her twice, calling upon the most potent fires he could conjure. They were all completely ineffective. Azazel had tried sealing Katerea, using a litany of spells that Issei could never hope to decipher, to cage and suppress her. It was a good idea, but it lasted all of four seconds.

However, that failure did give Issei an idea.

 _Damn her!_ Issei raged, once again evading an incoming blast, taking refuge as Azazel and Vali closed in on the rebel. _What is Ophis trying to accomplish here? She was the one who wanted the Old Satan Faction dead!_

 **Perhaps she is not aware of this?** Nick suggested. **She has admitted to aiding them in the past. It is possible that they are utilizing power she had given them before in this one last ditch effort.**

 **No.** Seraphina outright rejected that notion. **Regeneration requires much more energy than actual combat. From what I have seen, the energy that would have been required to survive such punishments would have burned her from the inside. There must be an open channel from her to Ophis providing constant sustenance.**

 _Just like us._ Issei thought grimly. _Is there a limit to this?_

 **Well... you've already seen a drawback. Her mind couldn't handle the power she was drawing on, and so her sanity has ended up shattered. Irreversibly, it seems.**

 **Okay, now how about a limitation that doesn't make her more dangerous!** Ulrich snapped.

 **That is what I am talking about! Issei, you said she is similar to you, but the differece is, her body is not immortal. the regeneration is a result of Ophis' intervention, not because of an intrinsic property built into Katerea's soul.**

 _Are you saying I overload her soul?! Can I even do that?_

 **Of course you can. A soul is a construct of pure energy, but it is still a** _ **construct**_ **. Put too much strain on it and it will crumble. But that is not enough. If Ophis is as powerful as I fear, rebuilding a soul she has already claimed would be child's play.**

 _So not just big, but continuous. Something that will last as long as... infinity. Fuck._

 **I didn't say it was particularly convenient.**

Inconvenient was putting it graciously. The situation was looking more and more hopeles. _Wait. Hang on a second. I can make this work. It's not infinity, but it's as close as we're ever gonna get._

"I need to get in close!" He didn't have to look around to confirm that they heard. He knew they got the message. This was either the greatest or the stupidest idea he has ever had. But in either case, he'll need every bit of concentration he could muster.

Vali didn't show any sign of having acknowledged him, but he switched from raining down devastating blows, to grappling with Katerea, wrangling her writhing tentacles and limiting her movements, giving Issei a clear path.

Issei didn't allow himself to hesitate. He rocketed towards Katerea, ignoring the intense G-forces on his body. He crashed headfirst into her waist and immediately wrapped his arms around her. "Get clear!"

He closed his eyes, turned his gaze inward and started the fire. He ignored the lances of darkness piercing his body from every angle. He ignored the thick cords that crushed his limbs and broke his bones and snapped his spine. He ignored the brief feeling of strangulation, before his windpipe collapsed and his breathing stopped entirely. It didn't matter. They only fed the flames.

 _No-one can concentrate on destroying you forever. These leaders may be holding back a little, but I don't think they can devote so much of themselves for so long. And I am no different. But the thing is, Ophis..._

 _I'm not the only one._

Issei grabbed a hold of the flames surrounding Katerea's body. He could feel them struggle against Ophis' oppressive powers, which simultaneously rebuilt Katerea's body and soul while straining it far beyond its limits. It was a constant tug of war that wreaked havoc on her soul. But Issei was beyond caring about that. He took the flames, and _fixed_ them. Fixed them to the world.

He opened his eyes, and found himself on the ground. He was laying on top of Katerea, immersed in the fire endlessly consuming her body. He got up, and saw his handiwork. The former Devil lay on the ground, completely still, and was covered head to toe in white flame. The flames were constantly shifting around her body, a sentient organism twisting around its captive.

To an outsider, it would look no different than the flames he had always used. It was clear from the perplexed looks on the others' faces that they just did not or could not understand what he had done.

To him, the difference was as clear as day.

These flames that imprisoned Katerea were different because while they were a part of him, while they still carried the conceptual essence of Fire, Issei himself had no need to consciously maintain it. Continuing the metaphor, he had built the prison, the walls for a single cell, fortified to contain and compress infinity. But he had appointed others to be the wardens.

The number was constantly shifting, much like the flames of the penitentiary itself. Rising and falling every second in response to its environment. The number was so large and varied so much, the best that anyone could ever manage was a rough estimate. But at last count, the number of wardens was just under seven billion.

"OPHIS!" Issei yelled into the sky, further confusing the leaders. "I know you're watching. Well, it's over! See this?" he gestured wildly. "It'll last as long as _we_ do! I know you can probably outlast us all. Hell, you can probably kill all of us, easily. But good luck getting my help after that! Good luck getting anyone's help for that matter!"

This was a gamble. Ophis was more powerful than he could process. But for some reason, she chose to come to him for aid. And then she interfered with him actually fulfilling her request. She had an agenda for him, but no way in hell was he going along with it if this madness was what he had to look forward to. And many other races depended on humans whether they admit it or not. Killing them all would make her public enemy number one.

Without warning, something snapped.

The prison imploded. The tremendous pressure pushing outwards suddenly disappeared causing the balance to tip in Issei's favor. The sudden imbalance caused the flames to release their pent up energy like a wound up spring. Issei did not have time to notice this before the explosion rocked them all. Of course, Issei was able to dismiss the flames immediately, and he was not affected at all. The others though were nearly blown away.

When the dust cleared, an eerie calm had settled over the Kuoh Academy courtyard. Katerea was nowhere to be seen. In the center of the explosion, a little girl in a provocative gothic lolita dress had come into existence.

Issei couldn't help but level a glare at her. "Glad that you can join us." he growled.

Ophis met his scorn, not with her usual blank expression, but with a decidedly creepy, plastic smile. "Hello again, Issei Hyoudou. Thank you, for participating in this experiment."

"Experiment?" He couldn't keep the incredulity from his voice. "You mean a gladiator fight with one of your pets to see who comes out on top?"

"Not at all. I, already knew that you would prevail, quite easily. The purpose, of this exercise was to ascertain your method, and your effectiveness. In that respect, it was a success."

"Effectiveness in what?" It wasn't Issei who had spoken this time. Sirzechs had approached the both of them. His expression was set in stone, but any casual observer could see anger in his gaze.

The Dragon God did not even bother to look at him. "Do not worry, Devil. This, does not concern you."

"Please forgive me, but I am afraid that I, no, we must all disagree." Michael interjected. "Hyoudou-san may be an independent contractor, but as of now he is serving as a moderator for the Three Faction Peace Conference. Any agreement you might have with him has been proven to have a... substantial effect on our meeting. Therefore, we have no choice _but_ to concern ourselves with his business."

Ophis mechanically turned her head to regard the Angel, who remained at a respectful distance, but close enough to intervene should things go sour. Again.

"Vali. Come here." The order was heeded immediately, and Vali, having dismissed his Sacred Gear, stood to attention next to Ophis. Issei flicked his eyes to Azazel, but his only visible reaction was a raised eyebrow and a slight smirk. It seemed that Vali was right to suspect him of knowing more than he lets on.

"Vali, deal with them."

Vali looked like he was resisting the urge to facepalm. "Okay, look. How do you expect me to deal with this one? I didn't even know you were going to shake things up so much. You've got us _all_ blind-sided here."

"I, don't care. I want him." If not for her complete lack of emotion, Issei would say that Ophis was acting like a spoiled child being denied a shiny new toy.

Vali sighed. "Alright. End result as always. Method slightly altered." The silver-haired rummaged in his breast pockets for a while, pulling out a strip of old and weathered paper, on which were inscribed Japanese characters. However, he did not have the chance to read it, because Vali quickly tore it in half. The strips burst into blue, ghostly fire.

The scraps and the ashes had not hit the ground yet when purple fire appeared right next to Vali. The fires burned a hole in the air, forming a kaleidoscopic passage that gave way to two individuals. The first one seemed harmless enough, a blond man in his twenties, wearing glasses and an expensive looking suit. If it weren't for the sword in his hands, he would have looked like a scholar. The first thing he did was assess the surroundings before sighing and muttering to himself. "So, we're going with Plan C, I presume?"

The second person set Issei's teeth on edge. She was so beautiful, easily rivaling the Onee-sama of Kuoh. And she wasn't shy about exposing some skin. But her presence just made him uncomfortable. It was like there was a latent aura of malice surrounding her, wrapped around her like a cloak. But it wasn't just that. There was something else about her that unsettled him.

That was when he noticed the ears and tail. Or rather, _tails_.

 _Oh, you have got to be shitting me._

His panic went largely unnoticed, as Vali and the blond newcomer engaged in a quick and quiet conversation. The man cleared his throat, before speaking in an aristocratic tone and voice.

"I apologize profusely for the inconvenience. I am Arthur Pendragon, speaking on behalf of the Ouroboros Dragon, Ophis."

"A Pendragon?" Serafall scoffed. "You're a long way from home, boy."

"Despite my name, I am no longer associated with the Pendragon family, and _they_ are not associated with Ophis by any means." He was quite vehement with that statement, while still maintaining his poised nobility. "We are an small, independent company with only a few members."

"As I was saying, on behalf of Ophis, we request to be included in the Peace Conference to negotiate terms for her co-operation."

"Co-operation implies that you have something to offer. What can a 'small independent company' have to offer three large and powerful organizations?" Azazel threw the words back at him.

Issei could already feel the headache. He had heard this sales pitch before and he had experienced first hand what it led to. He also knew that they would not be able to refuse it. If there was an upside to this, it seemed that Vali and his goons were getting slightly desperate as well, trying to keep up with Ophis' demands. They had just as little control of her as anyone.

"We can give you large amounts of information regarding the terrorist organization responsible for today's attacks, insight into their command structure and members, and guidance as to their future movements..." he paused for a moment before soldiering on.

"And, of course, we can give you an Infinite Dragon God."

* * *

 **How's it going, people? Good to see you guys again.**

 **Regarding this chapter, apologies for a people who wanted some kind of epic battle, but when you have one person, no matter how jacked up against this cast? It's gonna be a challenge, but not some legendary showdown.**

 **And as for the leaders, yes they are holding back. But do you really expect any of them to let loose in a populated area? On Earth? i didn't think so.**

 **Also, before anyone comments about it: Yes, I know the population is way over seven billion _now_ , but this was set in 2009, where it was just under seven billion then.**

 **Later bitches!**


	19. Chapter 19: Purification by Fire

The First Flame

 **Chapter 19: Purification by Fire**

As one might expect, any 'talks' between Ophis and her contingent, and the Three Factions were postponed. There was simply too much to take care of; sending home fallen soldiers, repairing the school, erasing memories of humans who came too close.

Also, up until the... troublesome interruptions, the Peace Conference was seen as a success. A tentative balance had been established between the three species, and plans were already being drawn up to slowly implemented the proposed changes to foreign policy. Things were good, but bringing in an independent entity with unimaginable power, who freely admitted to have supported terrorists in the past, was bound to have negative consequences. But at the same time, the existence of a new terrorist group had been revealed, and their influence and power could not be ignored, so it was understandable that they would approach this issue carefully.

What Issei did not expect was that the leaders unanimously agreed to foist the responsibility of dealing with Ophis and her lackeys onto him. At least until they had the time (and motivation) to deal with it themselves. Their reasoning was that he had clearly dealt with them before, and he was still a neutral party that supported peace, not any particular faction. So they could rely on him not to make any backhanded deals to the others. Any arrangement he could make for his own benefit were not relevant, and he wasn't stupid enough to try and make arrangements _against_ them.

So what does this mean? A big fucking headache, that's what. Actually no, _several_ headaches. In rapid succession.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Arthur Morgan. Please take care of me."

It took everything Issei had not to melt the flesh off his bones then and there. And mostly it was because he was too busy reeling from the excited squeals (and aroused sighs) from the female population of the class. Which was most of the class. Issei took a moment of solidarity with the males in the class in hatred of the foreign transfer student.

After that introduction that reminded Issei of a horror flick, Arthur calmly made in his seat, giving him a small nod as passed, one that Issei begrudgingly returned. The same exchange occurred between him and Xenovia. Unfortunately there were some who noticed.

Issei's dwindling focus on class was interrupted by a piece of paper hitting his temple. With growing dread, he sighed in resignation and opened up the crinkled page.

 _:Dude, how the hell do you know that guy?:_

 _:Hyoudou! You disgusting pervert, how could you possibly know that hottie?!:_

 _:Are you abandoning us to hang out with that pretty boy? Just to score some hot chicks?! Is that how you gon into the ORC?! How fuckin' low can you get, jackass?!:_

 _:Do you make it your business to know every good looking transfer student? First you're corrupting Xenovia-chan, and now this! Die!:_

...And so on.

 **...Good gracious, children can be vicious these days.** Seraphina remarked.

 _Welcome to the twenty-first century, man. The Age of Shit-talkers._

Being pelted by papers wasn't anything new. It happened to Issei every time he or his friends got caught peeping into the girl's changing room or something. It just pissed him off because this time, it _genuinely_ wasn't his fault.

It was a growing theme these days. It started with his regular lunches with Shirone. Then people saw him being invited to the Occult Research Club, and talking to the Student Council members multiple times. Afterwards, word got out that Xenovia visited his home every morning to walk him to school, which got him chased up and down the campus before he made it to the safety of the classroom. The fact that he was not a member of either group made people think that he was unjustly worming his way into the top levels of the school.

 _More like they dragged me in._

The lunch bell heralded his second headache.

If nothing else, he could count on Shirone being consistent. Stoic and silent as always, she slid into the classroom and snatched his arm. Thankfully the class was focused on Arthur for the moment so nobody made too big of a fuss. Unfortunately, he wasn't paying much attention himself. Otherwise he wouldn't have missed the expression on her face.

When they got to the roof, Issei sat down at their usual spot and started to unrap his lunch. "Hey, my mom made those chicken balls you like, Shiron- Oomph!"

Before he could register what happened, he had dropped his lunch, Shirone had grabbed by his neck with one hand and had lifted him off the ground. Probably a strange sight considering she barely came up to his chest.

"What... What is _she_ doing here?!" she hissed.

 **I'm curious. Exactly how long did you think you could keep this from her?**

 _Not now!_ "Shir... Shirone, can't... breathe... stop..."

The small girl watched him choke and wheeze for a few more seconds, as if memorizing his suffering expression, before giving his throat a squeeze dropping him to his knees. Issei gagged as the bruises faded and his trachea healed. "Okay, I know I'm a fast healer, but this kind of abuse is uncalled for. And how did you even know she was here?"

"I felt it. I felt it as soon as I stepped into the club room. She released her energy all over it. Small, but I recognized it. It was meant for me. She wanted me to know she was here."

Issei took a breath, trying to come up with words to placate her. "Look. I didn't know that she was going to be here. And she's not even in Kuoh at the moment. Chances are, you'll never have to meet up with her. Hell, you're at my house half the time, and she'll never suspect you're there."

"She's a Sage. She'll find me." Shirone looked genuinely afraid of this. As usual, her face didn't change much, but Issei could see two small bumps on top of her head twitching periodically. "Even after all these years, she won't leave me alone..."

"Hey," Issei grabbed her face and made her meet his eyes. "Shirone-chan, don't get too full of yourself. Kuroka isn't here to make your life miserable. Do you really think she's risk coming here just to torment you? With two of the Devil Kings nearby? She's not exactly on good terms with the community right now."

And wasn't that an understatement. It took thirty minutes for him and Arthur to convince Sirzechs and Serafall that arresting Kuroka would not be worth the trouble. It wouldn't have taken so long but Vali clearly didn't give two shits, and Kuroka didn't help matters by making funny faces at the surviving Devils, who all but freaked out at seeing the SS-ranked fugitive.

"I don't know how much Rias has told you, or how much Rias knows about the situation, but Kuroka is a member of a... foreign delegation."

"My sister is not a politician."

"No, she is not." Issei agreed firmly. "That's why Arthur-san is here instead of her. She's sort of a... bodyguard."

Shirone continued to glare. "Buchou told me what happened. What are you doing with a Dragon God?"

"Umm..."

"You are my contracted mage. Tell me."

There was no room for debate. Or really, any kind of resistance. So Issei told her of his arrangement with Ophis and Vali, as well as their offer to help destroy the terrorist organization called the Khaos Brigade.

"You don't think my sister qualifies as a terrorist?1"

"Well... um... she didn't seem pretty terrifying at the time... And Vali did promise to keep his people in line. I don't think she'll try anything."

"You don't know my sister." she insisted. "She's sly, but she's reckless. Experienced, but impulsive. She won't hesitate from doing something even if it goes against common sense."

"Look, maybe you're right. But so what? What could she possibly do to hurt besides bring back bad memories?"

" _Bad memories?!_ "

Issei winced. "Okay, poor choice of words. But the point is, there is nothing she can do to hurt you, either by hurting you physically or by hurting your life here. You're protected by an heiress to one of the greatest Devil families. And like you said, your sister has a reputation. It's not just Devils, all the other factions are wary of her and her friends.

"And don't forget, I'm the one in charge of them. It's why Arthur is in _my_ class. And you're right, you're my partner. No matter what deals I make, I keep my promises, and I swore to stand by you. If you get even a whiff of Kuroka, I'm just one teleport spell away."

Shirone didn't answer him, only garing deep into his eyes, as if drilling through him to determine the sincerity of his words. When she finally answered, it was not a confirmation or rejection of his words.

"Later, when training Gaspie, you'll help me with **[Senjutsu]**."

Issei didn't bother to argue. Frankly, he didn't want to. He still wasn't sure if he could help her, but he knew he had a responsibility to at least try. If he wanted to keep the trust they had formed with each other, he couldn't afford to turn her away. "I promise that I'll do whatever I can. So have a little trust in me. Okay, Shirone-chan?"

The girl quickly turned away, and Issei knew that he had convinced her. Acting on impulse, he reached over, and gently patted her head. Shirone blushed slightly, but didn't move. The moment stretched out, a familiar and companionable silence falling over them.

Unfortunately, it did not last long.

Issei's hand froze. An oppressive feeling washed over him, making his spine shiver. Whatever it was, it was powerful, and yet Issei did not feel afraid. More of the opposite, actually, this feeling excited him. But strangely enough, it felt... familiar to him. Shirone looked up at him, seemingly oblivious to the reason for his distress. "Senpai, what's wrong?"

"I'm not sure... But something's happening. Something's different. Something's wrong."

Shirone looked at him strangely. She looked around, then closed her eyes and sniffed the air. "Senpai... There is nothing. Nothing out of place."

Her senses were vastly superior to his, and he could usually trust her judgement. And yet the unease persisted. An intense feeling of foreboding. But he had no logical reason to believe it. Luckily, he didn't get here by being logical all the time. He put himself on as high alert as possible without actually summoning a fire at the ready.

"You're right, Shirone. Must be my imagination. Let's eat okay?"

* * *

It was after school, and Issei was getting tired of being on high alert. But if anything, the harsh atmosphere only intensified. Of course, he seemed to be the only one who noticed. And there were other things mentally exhausting him.

Issei, Shirone and Gasper were in their usual spot behind the old clubhouse, away from the main building where clubs were still in the middle of their activities. Gasper was quite away from the other two, in the middle of his own training. In the span of a few weeks, his confidence had slowly risen, along with his control. Regrettably, he still wore that stupid paper bag.

Currently, he was staring up at several dozen dumbbells suspended in midair. Quite often, one of the dumbbells would fall out of the purple hold, but Gasper effortlessly caught it and threw it back up and froze it in midair. However, while he did this, his grasp on the others would weaken and he would have to slow them down if not freeze them completely.

This was a great way of increasing his ability to freeze multiple things at once and to his endurance. It also allowed him to practice varying his power for different targets. Gasper's anxiety often made people forget that he was a Dhampir-turned-Devil, possessing the considerable natural strength that came with the species. It would take a while before he could tap into his full potential, but they were well on their way.

On the other hand, Shirone wasn't having as much success.

It seems that despite her hatred for the technique, Shirone knew the basics of **[Senjutsu]** from watching her sister's training. The first precept was to absorb and maintain natural energy from the atmosphere. Simple in concept, but it didn't really take into account the difficulty in containing the latent negativity of natural energy.

"Shirone, stop. Stop!"

Shirone broke into gasps, and expelling the energy she had gathered as quickly as possible. Issei rubbed his forehead. He knew it was going to be tough, but he wasn't prepared for this. _Has the world really fucked itself so much?_

 **Two world wars, countless smaller ones, economic crises, starvation, pollution, poverty and politics just to name a few.** Ulrich said gravely. **I'd say, yeah, the world is pretty fucked.**

 **No wonder the Sages are so rare. They must have been plentiful in the past, but now...** Seraphina said sorrowfully.

Issei released a deep breath and got his thoughts in order. "Alright, this isn't working, we have to try something else."

"But... I don't know... any other way to start."

"Well, I'm making one up. Obviously, we can't start from the ground up, like Gasper. The negativity is too much for a first timer, and we don't have any way to ease it up for you. It's like teaching someone to play video games on Nightmare mode. It'll do more harm than good and you'll die before you learn anything."

"So, what do we do?"

"if we continue the video game thing, we can't set nature to lower difficulty, but you _can_ use a cheat code." Issei paused at her deapan espression. "Um, what I'm saying is I can help you use **[Senjutsu]** without much, or any, of the drawbacks. Just one question, though."

"What?"

"Why do you have to take in the negativity? Can't you just filter it out, or expel it while keeping only what you need inside you?"

"Because it isn't just a tagalong. It's an active part of the energy. And I can't just... separate it out."

"Why not?"

"Because nature doesn't stop." she snapped. "It's always moving. Always changing. I have to keep it flowing inside me. **[Senjutsu]** doesn't work in the same way as magic. We don't tap into a reserve, it's more like a stream. If I try to mess with the natural energy while using it, then..."

"It would be like messing with an engine while it's running. No control." Issei finished. "Okay then, how about this?" He took her hand and had her sit down in front of him on the grass. "We'll have to work together for this one, it'll be tricky. Do what you were normally doing, letting nature flow in, all of it."

"What are you going to do?"

"That's the tricky part. I'll be facing the negativity with you."

 **What?!**

"What?!"

"OW! Hand, Shirone, my hand! Ohh... Sonova..." Issei let out a labored breath as his bones and muscles knitted themselves back together. Looking into Shirone's darkened eyes, he kept talking, despite the fact that she had not released his hand.

"Listen. Not to sound too arrogant, but I am a lot stronger than yo- Don't squeeze my hand again, you know what I mean!"

"Senpai, I don't think you understand-"

"I understand just fine, Shirone." Issei smirked. "And I know that I have a better chance than anyone here of keeping sane in the face of that. Also, I'm not just gonna sit here and take it. I have an idea that could make it safer for you."

"How do you know? You've never done this before. What makes you think you would be so good at withstanding it?"

Isse simply gave her a knowing smirk. "Let's just say, I've experienced something similar."

 **Issei, what do you think you are doing?** Seraphina was frantic. **You have not developed nearly enough to be ready for this. What do you even plan to do?**

 _Relax, Sera. Have a little faith. Besides, I feel like I kinda have to do this. We're the reason nature is so fucked up now. What kind of deadbeat would I be if I can't even face a little of it? Oh, and sorry about this._

 **What? Wait, Issei. Don't-**

Issei smiled as the mental link was shut down. He didn't want to hurt the others because of his decision, or possibly disturb the ones who hadn't yet shown themselves.

"Now, Shirone. You're stubborn, but you aren't talking me out of this one. You were the one who asked me to help you, so just accept this. The worst thing that could happen is that we fail and we've been doing that all afternoon. And we have a back-up plan. Oi, Gaspie!"

"Huh?" Gasper snapped to attention, nearly letting go of the dumbbells with a yelp. "What is it? Did I do something wrong, Sensei?"

"Nah, no, you're doing great. But I think you can use a break, and we just need your help with something. Come over here."

Gasper gratefully dropped the weights with a relieved sigh. "Okay. What do you need me to do?"

"Just sit here, and watch the two of us carefully. If you see anything too strange, or if either of us start acting weird, give us a good whack above the head. 'Kay?"

"Ehh?" Gasper glanced at Shirone, who didn't even look at him. "Umm... I'm not sure if... Are you sure you want me to..."

"Relax, Gaspie. We're not gonna hold it against you. You might even save our lives."

Issei closed his eyes, and concentrated on the bond between him and Shirone, the bond that signified their contract. Their breathing synchronized. The outside world faded away. The breeze, the leaves, Gasper's voice, they were lost. He held the bond in his mind, before opening himself up.

 _Whenever you're ready, Shirone._

And the flood gates flew open.

 _ **ANGER. DISGUST. RAPE. FEAR. AGONY. SELF-HARM. TORTURE. DESPAIR. WAR. INSANITY. SUICIDE. DEPRESSION. FRAUD. HATE. DISCRIMINATION. MURDER. PUNISHMENT. STARVATION. POVERTY. TYRANNY. ABUSE. SADISM. EXECUTION. DEATH.**_

He nearly lost it.

The tsunami of hostility threatened to smother him completely. He was sure that if he hadn't braced himself, it would have succeeded. As it was, he was barely holding on. Issei's respect for Shirone rose drastically, and he even felt a pang of sympathy for Kuroka. If this was what they went through for using **[Senjutsu]** , it was no wonder Shirone feared it, and that Kuroka lost herself to it. _Oh, I'm not going down that easily._

He didn't suppress the incoming flow. If he tried, all that would happen is that it would all go to his partner. Right now, they were shouldering the burden together, but she was the only one actively interacting with it. That was about to change.

He envisioned it, the two of them bracing themselves against a torrent of energy, potent and relentless. But it was tainted. Dirties by centuries of constant malevolence. As he was now, Issei couldn't hope to stand against it. But that didn't mean he couldn't do _anything._

Flames sprung into existence. Not in the physical world, they would do absolutely nothing to help them there. Instead, they raged in the conceptual plane. The primeval concept of Fire originally meant the provision of light and warmth, a method of communication, a weapon for destruction. But throughout the years it has gained another meaning that was just as essential.

Purification.

Fire has always been seen as sacred. Many saw it as a gift from God, or the gods, so of course it must be just as divine. Smelting metal, boiling water, high fevers, even burning heretics and criminals at the stake, they were all seen as cleansing rituals. Even after the advent of science, fire continued to be an effective method to purify materials, to kill bacteria in food, even if it was used in different forms.

The tainted energy crashed into the flames, but they didn't falter. The heat intensified, raging through the nature energy, every single part of it. Issei didn't worry. Nature has existed long before any kind of negativity. It could withstand him just fine. The same could not be said for the poison infecting.

The effects were immediate. It was like surfacing from the depths of a polluted river. They could see, smell, they could _breathe_ again. They could hear Nature calling to them, inviting them into itself. But Issei didn't stop there. There was still toxicity remaining. He raised the intensity of the flames, brought them higher than ever. He couldn't do things halfway with something this important. He didn't realize how great the effects would be.

The outside world, which he and Shirone had blocked, suddenly came into his senses. Every blade of grass, every breath of wind on his face, every leaf rustling, every small insect crawling around. His eyes were still closed, and it wasn't that he could hear or smell it all. He could just... _feel_ it, the same way as he could feel his own limbs.

He could even sense Gasper. Without opening his eyes, he could see the awe on his face. He felt the nervousness drain from his body the more he watched the two of them. More disturbingly, he could feel the latent hunger for within him, the instinct that called for blood. He could feel the tremendous and terrible power in his eyes, waiting to be set free.

And Shirone, he could feel her as well. Every breath she took, every beat of her heart, every twitch of her muscles. And somehow, he knew that she could feel him as well. It wasn't that the two of them were connected. It was more accurate to say that the two of them were connected to the same super organism, the huge network that spanned the world called Nature. _This... Is this_ _ **[Senjutsu]**_ _?_ he thought, overcome with awe.

 _No, Senpai... This is what it's supposed to be._

He wasn't surprised to know that she could hear his thoughts, nor was he startled to hear her reply. In truth, he didn't know what to feel. The fires continued to rage, the flow of energy was constant, after all. But somehow, this clean version of nature energy has empowered him. Both of them.

They didn't do anything more. They sat there, inhaling, then exhaling. Feeling nature pass through them. Simply reveling in the sensations together.

It was the best he had felt in a long time.

After some time (he didn't bother keeping track), the two of them opened their eyes, cutting the connection. Their breaths went out of sync as the link was broken. "Well," Issei began. "That was..."

"Yeah..."

Gasper was a bit more articulate. "Senpai, that was amazing! I didn't that the Sage Arts wold feel like that! And I didn't know that _you_ were a Sage! Koneko-chan, you were amazing as well! I'm not even sure how to describe it!" he gushed.

"I suppose it was pretty cool." Issei couldn't hep but grin. A grin that Shirone returned.

 _Yeah! That sure was somethin'!_

Issei froze. _Ulrich?_ That could't have been him. He had blocked communications for now. And the voice, while unrefined, was not as deep and harsh as the Soviet soldier.

 _Eh, not quite, shit-stain._

Issei jumped to his feet, ignoring the surprised sounds from Shirone and Gasper. He looked around, but couldn't find anyone nearby. _Who are you?_

 _I mean, I've seen you do some freaky stuff, but I don't think anyone was crazy enough to do that!_ The new voice totally ignored his demand and continued to speak uninterrupted. _Course, cool as it was, ya did kinda mess things up a bit... burning away all the exciting bits... No problem! I can always put a little back in!_

There was no warning. There was no build up. There was no overbearing pressure, or flash of light, or a bad feeling in the spine. It just _happened._

Enraged shouting broke out like a thunder clap. People were shouting with such fury that they weren't even forming words, the sounds were completely feral and driven by pure anger. At the same time, Issei, Shirone and Gasper clutched their heads as a dull pain began to throb. "What the fuck?!"

"Senpai..." Shirone grit her teeth, her cat ears rigid and alert. "The school... there's something happening to the school!"

No more words were spoken. The three of them reacted as if they were under attacked. They ran to the main building in a tight formation, with Issei, the most durable, leading the way and Shirone, with superior senses, in the back. When they reached the main courtyard, the scene stopped them in their tracks.

Students were rolling on the ground, brutally punching, kicking and clawing at each other. The viciousness was incredible; they were bashing heads against the ground, gouging at eyes, drawing blood without hesitation. He saw Matsuda and Motohama, being assaulted by some members of the kendo team. It was a regular sight, except the girls were aiming to kill, and the boys weren't squeamish about retaliating.

And for every one of them, their eyes glowed bright red.

 _Whoops... Looks like I overdid it. Hahahaha! But to be honest, I think it's an improvement, don'cha?_

"What in the..." Issei could only gape in shock, not being able to fully process this scene. However, the sound of shattered glass knocked him out of it. Two students had thrown themselves right through a third story window, plummeting to the ground. "Ah, shit!"

He rocketed towards them as fast as he could, the flames on his legs scorching the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust. But despite the strength of the flames, he had reacted too slowly, and he could already see that he was not going to reach them. Ignoring the increasing G-forces, he tried to push himself further, but it was no use. He was not going to make it. Except...

Somehow, he grabbed a hold of them. He caught the both of them in his arms, adjusting his body in order to stabilize and hover in the air. He looked around, and couldn't help but grin. Because the students in his arms, every person in sight, and the entire world around him, was tinged purple.

"Alright, Gasper! Haha!" He couldn't contain the whoop of joy and delight upon seeing the violet world. He settled to the ground, gently laying down his payload, before sprinting to the half-vampire. To his surprise, he didn't even look winded. "You cross-dressing son of a bitch! I knew you had it in ya!"

"Good job, Gaspie."

Gasper flushed and fidgeted under the praise, but his eyes didn't so much as flicker, and his smile could have torn his face in two. "Y-You think so?"

"Hell yeah! How big of an area are you covering right now?"

"Ummm... I'm not actually sure. I sorta kinda... panicked. I just, uh... really wanted to make them stop." Gasper explained sheepishly, pressing his index fingers together.

"We'll deal with that later. For now, looks like you've only frozen humans. How long do you think you can keep this up?"

At that, Gasper's smile turned rather... mischievous. "Well, uh, since I'm only really freezing humans, and it's really just a blanket effect so I don't have to concentrate much, a couple of hours?"

"A couple of...?" Issei couldn't help but look around once again to marvel at the spectacle of the **[Forbidden Balor View]**. True, he always knew that Gasper was powerful, his nerves being the only thing holding back, but to see it in action was a stunning experience on its own. Remove the restrictions and replace anxiety and adrenaline and... "You are one scary bastard, you know that?"

Gasper's smile morphed into a too-adorable pout. "Sensei, you meanie!"

As a response ot his words, the crimson seal of the Gremory flashed urgently on Shirone's hand. She took a few moments to commune with her master before returning her attention to him. "There's a situation in the gym."

"Are we being attacked?"

"Not sure. All Buchou told me was that it has something to do with Kiba-senpai and that transfer student."

Without another word, the three of them sprinted through the school. The closer they got to the gymnasium, the more unease Issei felt. The presence felt like sandpaper, or a cheese grater on his skin. He couldn't help but growl in agitation. It was like everything about this foreign presence was determined to piss him off.

As they approached, Issei noticed the hastily erected wards on the gym, and how other students littered the pathways, their faces twisted into horrifying expressions as they were frozen in their murderous actions. He couldn't hear anything from within, but that changed as soon as he stepped inside.

Kiba and Arthur were dueling. No, Issei looked closer. Dueling implied that both parties were putting in an effort to defeat the other. It would be more accurate to say that Kiba was furiously attacking Arthur, who didn't even look winded. Hell, he hadn't even drawn his sword. The gym floor was littered with slash marks and disintegrating fragments of Kiba's swords. The blond Knight was flitting in and out of sight, slashing at Arthur from all directions with a variety of swords, each one deadlier than the last.

And just like everyone else affected, his eyes were blood red.

In contrast, Arthur was the picture of calm. He didn't even seem to be concentrating all that hard. With smooth, easy movements he evaded Kiba's attacks or parried them with his sword still sheathed and not even held in a combat stance.

"What the fuck is going on?" Issei asked Rias, who looked just as agitated. "Why is Kiba attacking him? This could ruin any chance of an arrangement from them!"

"I know that!" she snapped. "But I don't know what happened. From what I can gather, Kiba-kun challenged him to a spar, and Arthur-san accepted. When Kiba-kun lost, he brought out live steel. We've already had some injuries."

"Wait, wait, Kiba hurt _humans_?!"

Rias gestured behind her, where Akeno and several others were healing the time-stopped students. "Members of the kendo team who tried to join in on the fun. Their wounds are simple enough to heal. But Kiba-kun is out of control. He didn't even realise that he hit them with real swords."

 _This is not like Kiba at all..._ Issei thought. Issei raised his hand to stop him, but it seems that Arthur had grown tired of being on the defensive. Flipping the sheathed sword in his hands, his arm whipped faster than he could see, seemingly at nothing. But where Arthur swung, Kiba appeared out of thin air. No, that wasn't right. Arthur had effortlessly intercepted Kiba who was moving at supersonic speeds. Issei made a mental note to be more wary of him.

Kiba dropped to his knees, wheezing his lungs out. He tried to blindly lash out, but he had barely raised his sword, before Arthur slammed the hilt of his sword on his forehead. Kiba crumpled like paper, the crimson glow fading from his eyes. Just like that. It was over.

Arthur faced them with a stern expression. "Apologies for the rough treatment of your vassal. But clearly, he was not in the right state of mind. As were the members of the swordsmanship club. I attempted to dissuade them, but the battle was far too quick."

"No." Rias shook her head, as she looked at her fallen Knight. "It is I who must apologize for this incident."

"Unnecessary. This event was unforeseen by all of us. Furthermore," Arthur gestured to the still-frozen surroundings. "If I recall correctly, a member of your peerage possesses a Sacred Gear that can stop time. I must thank him for preventing this violence from spreading further."

"Yes. Gasper, you have done very well today. I am very proud." She patted Gasper, smiling warmly, and Gasper nearly teared up with joy. "We'll talk more later, but for now we have to focus on containment."

"Buchou." Akeno spoke up. "Tsubaki-san has contacted me. They say that Gasper's influence extends for the entire school grounds and into several of the surrounding buildings. Sona-kaichou has already called for back-up to start wiping evidence and extra medics to speed up the injuries. Luckily, the only ones here were those who stayed for club activities. It also seems that outside of the school, no-one seems to be in conflict."

"This wasn't an accident." Rias' anger was obvious to all. "We all felt it, that headache before this chaos began. Somebody, someone powerful, must have placed a compulsion on the school body."

"Why would someone place such a weak spell?" asked Xenovia. "If they were powerful enough to affect dozens of students, surely a few Devils would achieve better results? Especially since the Occult Research Club and the Student Council gather in the same places."

"This was _not_ an attack." Arthur reasoned. "It was a statement. That powerful being you spoke of was announcing his presence, and boasting his strength."

"Just like a terrorist." Rias spat. "I assume you know, or at least have some inkling to, the identity of the perpetrator. Is he a member of the Khaos Brigade?"

"I have a hunch, but I need to conduct some research to make sure. I should have the information ready within two days."

"I want it tomorrow." It wasn't a request, and Arthur didn't bother being offended by her rudeness. "In the meantime, you will do what you can to assist us in dealing with the aftermath of this situation. Sona and her peerage have already cast restraining and sleeping spells ready to be activated once Gasper releases **[Forbidden Balor View]** , but we should work on securing..."

Issei was only half listening at this point. His eyes focused on a space above them, where Minnie had appeared, invisible to everyone but him. What really drew his attention away from Rias was her appearance. She was still in the form of a nine-year-old, but instead of a black sundress, she was wrapped in her shadows from the neck down. Her expression held none of her boredom and laziness, and displayed seriousness and authority that he had never seen from her before. He knew that he was the only one that could perceive her, but right then she looked more like a being of power.

 _Onii-chan, we need to talk._

* * *

 **Hey, people! How have you been?**

 **Another chapter for you guys, with a closer look on the Sage Arts and a little taste of our newest Horseman. Hope you guys liked it.**

 **Oh, and for those of you who are unconvinced about Gasper's powers, that kid was able to stop fully grown soldiers with a range of the school without training. I believe that Gasper Vladi just might be one of the most terrifying members of the DxD cast. If he got over his issues, he could wipe the floor with canon Issei. But that's just me.**

 **Hit that Favorite or Follow button, drop a review, and I'll see you bitches later!**


	20. Chapter 20: Fire Diamond I

The First Flame

 **Been a while hasn't it? In other news, recently reached 100k views! Huzzah!**

 **(Highschool DxD does not belong to me in any way)**

 **Chapter 20: Fire Diamond I**

"His name is Ares." Arthur began, addressing the crowd in front of him. The Occult Research Club had joined the Student Council in their room, with Xenovia in tow.

Everyone there was exhausted and irate, and many didn't bother hiding it. Yesterday was a nightmare, coordinating the containment efforts and the healers, the repairs to the school, especially the gym. Then Sona, Rias and Xenovia reported to their superiors, and were told to report again after Arthur's debriefing. Someone would be sent to the Grigori with the information.

"Ares?" Sona questioned. "You mean the God of War?"

"Yes. He has taken many names after assimilating to various pantheons, but he seems to prefer that identity now."

"And he is a member of the Khaos Brigade?"

"'Member' is a rather loose term." Arthur rubbed his eyes. "Understand that The Khaos Brigade is an organization of terrorists with different factions, all working towards different goals. The Old Satan, Hexennacht, Qlippoth, are just the few that I _know_ of and that's because they sometimes co-operate. Ares is different."

"In what way? What's different about his faction?" asked Issei.

"For one thing, he doesn't have one. He is completely independent. We've done research on as many members of the Khaos Brigade as possible, but we haven't found any concrete sightings of Ares in any realm or any of his forms. Which is odd, because he is not known for subtlety. What we do know is that he appeared roughly a year ago to join the Brigade. However, there is no talk of any missions he has done."

"Do you think he is conspiring with the Old Satan Faction?" Rias' voice held a hint of worry. Issei could understand. Angry as she was about the assault in the heart of her territory, the prospect of a god would make almost anyone hesitate.

"His motives are unclear. Vali knows nothing about it. But it would not surprise me. Given the rumors about his temperament and his domain, I would not be surprised if he isn't a simple warmonger. In which case, he is even more dangerous and unpredictable."

"What are the chances that he'll attack here again?" Issei voiced his main concern. "Should we start building up defenses?"

"I have no evidence for this, but it is doubtful he'll strike once more. Yesterday was a demonstration, he wanted the Biblical Factions to know that he is now an active player. But, and forgive me for saying this, if he were to attack directly, I believe he would pursue a more significant target."

"Or a bigger crowd." Issei muttered. He turned to the two Devil Kings. "Think this has anything to do with the Young Devils Gathering next week?" A gathering that he was invited to.

"We can't discount the possibility." Sona let out a deep breath. "Is there anything else we should know about Ares?"

"There is the obvious. Stay out of his way." Arthur said bluntly. "You saw the effects he had on your knight with a wave of his hand. He can have us clawing at each other's throats if he wanted. Unless you have a god in your corner, you have no chance."

He didn't imagine it. He was certain Arthur glanced at him.

* * *

"He hates you. And I'm not entirely sure why." Minnie admitted, curled up in his bedcovers.

"Isn't he your younger brother?"

Minnie shuffled awkwardly in the sheets. "I can count on one hand how many times I've seen any of my brothers in the past thousand years. We don't really keep in touch, nor are we that close. People lump us all together, but really, none of us are sure if we're even related. That or we just can't remember anymore. All we're sure of is what order we came in."

Right then, Issei was reminded of how old Minnie really was. Technically he was just as old, but his integration into the reincarnation cycle meant that he felt and acted a lot younger than other concepts. "Minnie, there is a good chance that your brother is working with the Khaos Brigade."

"And your worried that I'll take sides later on, is that it?"

"Am I being too paranoid?"

"No such thing." Minnie sighed. "My brothers and I, we have had an unspoken agreement to stay out of each other's business. Much like all siblings to be honest. The universe is big enough that we don't run the risk of running into each other.

"My point is, I won't fight against you, nor will I fight with you. What War does of his own accord, and what you do in response, is not my problem. But if he shows me any hostility, I'll retaliate with everything I have." she finished with a dangerous undertone.

 _I suppose it wouldn't be fair to ask for anything more than that._

"I have another question. Is he really Ares, or is that just a cover? 'Cause I thought we were different from gods."

"We _are_ different. Gods are born from the beliefs in a specific identity. In ancient times, Ares or Mars would have been extremely powerful, but War would have been and always will be stronger than any god of war. It's obvious really; there could be many people who do not believe in Ares, but they certainly know of, fear, and respect War."

"Then what happened?"

"It's a bit like cannibalism. Gods do it all the time, killing weaker gods and taking their power for themselves. Except in this case, it's not so much 'absorbing' as it is... 'reclaiming'. War must have taken Ares into himself some time ago, taking in his identity. You should know that Ares was the one who hated you. After the two combined, his hatred bled through and persisted into the new being."

"So he is both War and Ares... This is too confusing." Issei groaned.

"Yeah, I wouldn't get too bogged down on the mechanics of it."

"So why do you think he hates me anyway? It must be something bad if the hatred survived being absorbed by War."

"I don't know the details. Like I said, we haven't met for... I don't know how long. Besides," she jutted her head towards him. "don't you have a more reliable witness?"

Issei pondered that for a few moments. "Alright. You stay quiet, and at least try not to make trouble for me."

He had done this so many times it was practically effortless. He didn't even have to close his eyes. With just the slightest mental push, the bedroom shifted. The room became fuzzy, the outlines of objects becoming blurred ad hazy. Minnie faded from view, replaced by Seraphina. **"So, Issei, what do you want to know?"**

"Come on, Sera. Don't play dumb, it's really not your style."

 **"Issei, remember when I told you that our memories were available to you, and vice versa?"**

"That's not completely true, is it?"

 **"No, it isn't. My life was difficult and was full of hardships, but I decided not to hide it. There was nothing I could do to change it, and if my foolishness could serve as an example then all the better. But not everybody shared this belief, and I cannot blame them. There are those with dark pasts, who wish for nothing more than to forget them and be at peace."**

"Normally, I'd respect that. But the past is coming back to haunt us. Ares, or whatever he's calling himself, is gunning for me. I can't afford to go in this half-cocked."

 **"He's right."** Ulrich said, leaning on his desk. **"If this person really needs the privacy, we'll bugger off. But this isn't just his problem now. So tell him to grow some balls and tell the kid the whole damn story. He got the kid into this mess, he can help him get out."**

Seraphina sighed, realizing that this wasn't a argument she would win. The door to his bedroom, the pathway to the rest of his mindscape opened, revealing nothing but a veil of flame. **"Ulrich, that's our cue to leave. Once we're gone, he'll come."**

 **"Yes, yes. I get it. I'll talk to you later kid. Be careful. More than likely this one's got issues."**

Seraphina ushered the soldier out of the room, wishing him luck on her way out. But they didn't close the door. Issei waited on his own, fidgeting nervously. He wasn't sure what to expect. He didn't know much about mythology, but he knew that Ares was at least two thousand years old, probably much older. That meant that this man lived in roughly the same age. And he has had plenty of time to wallow in misery. Whatever argument he could make, chances are he would lose.

He didn't have to wait much longer. The fires gave way, revealing an olive-skinned man, only a few years older than him. He wore what looked like a tattered brown blanket draped across his body. He was handsome, not in the same way as Kiba or Arthur, his was the kind of appeal that one must examine closely to appreciate. But the way he carried himself spoke of humility, but confidence. Power and gentleness.

He could see why War would hate this man.

 **"Hello, you must be Issei."**

"So, you are...?"

 **"I am sorry, but would you mind if I refrain from giving you my name until I have explained? I realize that this is an incredibly rude thing to ask; this is your domain, and my time has come and gone. But this is a painful subject for me, and I would like it if this is as straightforward as possible, and eliminate any possible biases."**

Under normal circumstances, Issei would have snapped at someone who said something that pompous. But the thought never even crossed his mind. The reason why was obvious to anyone that saw the man's face.

Pain. Issei had never seen so much anguish on someone who had no injuries whatsoever. Issei was sure he had made similar expressions, but that was when his ex-girlfriend stabbed him in the gut, or when Freed shot him in the back with enchanted bullets, or when Katerea tore holes in him in milliseconds.

But this man didn't even have a physical body, and yet his suffering clearly rivalled anything Issei had to go through. What could have happened to him to subject him to this for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years?

"...Alright. But I might want to ask questions."

 **"That is to be expected."** the man nodded. **"Ask me what you wish, but I will retain the right to refuse to answer."**

"That's fine." Issei conceded.

The newcomer gestured for him to sit back down, and he made himself comfortable sitting cross legged on the ground.

 **"To truly understand the enmity that Ares holds against me, you must understand the history of the events.**

* * *

 _I was born during the Age of the Gods. The likes of Zeus, Ares, their kin and and their offspring walked amongst us. I, myself, was nothing special. The son of a farming family. And that meant that I, along with so many others, were subject to the whims, the desires, the rage and the judgement of the divine._

 _The gods had always been cruel and greedy. But one thing they had never admitted to, was fear. Despite their power, they feared us humans. We were just as intelligent as they were, if not more so, and we threatened their position as the dominant forces of the world._

 _One day, Zeus decided to quell any insurrection before it had even begun. Using his absolute power, he took away one of humanity's greatest weapons. Fire._

 _In his eyes, fire was what made us great, and so it should only be allowed to the gods. But he underestimated us._

 _Legends today have twisted the story, making out to be a grand event, an act of defiance against the gods for the good of mankind. In truth, it was nothing so glamorous._

 _Everyone converged to the temple of Zeus, praying for mercy. Meanwhile I begged, not to the king, but his elder sister, Hestia. She was the goddess of the hearth and home. I knew that if there was one deity that would show compassion, it would be her. But what happened afterwards was beyond what I could have imagined._

 _The goddess herself descended from Olympus. I thought I was dreaming, and whatever plea I had prepared, I lost it. But I must have said something correctly, or I may have amused her enough to be interesting, because she said that she would take my petition to the gods. Though honestly, I stopped caring at that point._

 _I can see from the look on your face that you have determined what happens next. I returned to her hearth, under the guise of further pleas. But overnight my motives had become utterly selfish. I no longer cared about the plight of my brethren, or if I did, the concern ranked last in importance._

 _If you think that this was simple infatuation, I wouldn't be able to argue otherwise. My heart was hers the moment I set eyes on her. Day after day I visited, hoping to see a glimpse or her face, or even feel her divine presence in the room. But I just know that what I felt for her was love, and that is what I attempted to convey with each and every prayer._

 _What my love-struck mind had forgotten was, that even if Hestia were to return my feelings, nothing would ever come of it, for she had sworn to be a virgin for all eternity. Despite this, she allowed my courtship. It might have been a flight of fancy on my part, but I believe that she was... receptive. She didn't push me away, she welcomed me into her embrace, even granting me her own flames. I treasured what moments of serenity I shared with her. I still do. But such a thing could not last. A bond between a god and a mortal is tenuous enough, but with a virgin goddess? The end was inevitable._

 _No, no, it was not Ares who struck me down. It was Zeus. Somehow, through his manic paranoia, he saw my attempts to court Hestia as a threat to his throne, a way to rise to power. Nobody told him otherwise, because he took action immediately._

 _One great bolt of lightning was all it took. Or at least, that's what he thought._

 _I didn't see it myself, but witnesses, or those that were not blinded by the smiting, described it as an earth-shattering event. As if every star in the sky descended from the heavens. The earth melted as if the underworld rose up against us . It think it would have been the greatest storm of the age. But it didn't make a difference. I lived._

 _The people began to revere me, believing that I was an Olympian. I don't know about the rest of the gods, because the only opinion that affected me was Zeus', who was predictably enraged._

 _Zeus did not try to kill me again. In his eyes, I had defied him far too many times. I had to suffer for my perceived crimes._

 _He chained me, he and his children, Force and Power, before subjecting me to horrendous torture everyday, only to have me heal to receive more pain._

 _I couldn't break free. Forgive me, but you have had a relatively easy time in discovering your powers, and have developed them to a frightening degree. I had no such privilege. I was lost, confused and afraid. I had no idea what happened and how I survived. All I could do was beg for mercy, which of course I didn't receive._

 _Hestia? I don't really know what happened to her. I suspect that Zeus had sent her away, to prevent her from rescuing me. She may be a pacifist, but she is one of the elder gods. Breaking my restraints and ending my curse would have been child's play for her. Perhaps he had hidden my location, or had kept her under guard. I don't know._

 _But soon I was freed. Not by Hestia, nor any of her allies. Actually, I mistook her for my beloved at first, but it quickly became clear that was not the case. You know her as Aphrodite, the goddess of love._

 _It seems that my 'undying passion', and 'ardent love' had captivated her. Those were her words, by the way, not mine. She distracted Bia, the personification of Force, cursing her to fall in love with a string of mortals. She seduced Kratos, the personification of Power, and manipulated him into freeing me, gifting me to her as an offering. The fool was so smitten, I don't think he even understood what he was doing._

 _Aphrodite had spirited me away, hiding me from the gaze of Zeus. Initially, I was overjoyed, but it was soon clear that I had traded one prison for another. The goddess had no intention of letting me go. She wanted to claim me for herself, believing that my…constitution would make me to be worthy of a goddess' attention._

 _No, I was not rescued again, nor did I escape by my own power. I did not even have the chance to try. Since you are not aware of mythology, you should know that it was well-known, even back then, that Aphrodite had a lover, outside of her marriage. And he was… less than satisfied with his lover's sudden lack of attention. You can imagine who he decided to take his anger out on._

 _Maybe it is a strange form of fortune that Ares was more prone violent than his father, which is saying something, because he is not the type to torture. He simply tried to kill me quickly._

 _Aphrodite? Of course, she didn't defend me. She was overjoyed at the prospect of two lovers duelling for her hand, even if I was doing nothing of the sort. I didn't put up much of a fight. Mostly I screamed in terror and sporadically shot fire, which didn't really do much. You know as well as I do that willpower is a key element in our abilities, and I did not possess much of that at the time. All I could do was flee._

 _He did not give up, but he was becoming more agitated. Despite Aphrodite's efforts, it did not take long for other gods to take notice of Ares' temper tantrum. Including my beloved._

 _Zeus was enraged once again, and fully supported Ares' actions. And what is more, he ordered his daughter, Artemis the hunter, to join in Ares' attempt to lynch me. But he overlooked something._

 _Lady Hestia had not been sitting idly by, nor had she been searching for me on her own. She had employed several gods and goddesses, those who she considered friends and those who owed enough favors. And one of those friends was her fellow maiden goddess. Ironically, the only solution she found was the reason I died._

 _Artemis pretended to hunt me, even going so far as to shoot me in the heart with her silver arrows. However, loaded into these sacred arrows was a spell, designed by Lady Hestia herself. I do not really understand the intricacies of the spell, perhaps Seraphina will be able to provide them if you are curious. But the basics as I understand it are, the tether between my body and soul was severed. Simultaneously, my body was destroyed, and that is where my story ends._

 _Without a solid tether to the mortal plane, my soul was destined for the reincarnation cycle. Hestia's spell had claimed my soul, but she could not keep me for herself, not that she would ever do something so inherently selfish. Furthermore, I may have escaped Ares, but the spell deceived no-one. The only safe place for me was the cycle of reincarnation._

 _I wasn't even conscious enough to say goodbye to her._

* * *

"So, this is just one big fit of jealousy? His girlfriend got the hots for you and he's spent the last five thousand years stewing in it?"

 **"Essentially, yes. As my soul had already been reintroduced into the reincarnation cycle, I don't know the aftermath of Hestia's and Artemis' intervention. I did ask a few later incarnations, but none of them have had contact with divinity of any kind. If Ares still carries hatred towards me, or you, this must be the reason."**

"How could he even know that we have been reincarnated? Did he already know about what we are?"

 **"Maybe not exactly. I doubt that he knows of our true origins and what we represent. But after failing to kill me and getting struck with pillars of white flame, he did ascertain that I was a phoenix, the legends for which have existed for centuries."**

"…Well, it's obvious that he's still holding a grudge. But all this because Aphrodite took a liking to you? I mean, it's not as if you actually slept with her, right? Is this really enough to keep hatred alive for so long?"

 **"No, I did not lay a hand on her, despite her efforts. But this is not just a territorial dispute."**

"Don't tell me. This is some kind of superiority thing, isn't it? How dare a human steal a god's consort or something like that?"

 **"Exactly right. Aphrodite was the most desirable goddess, and therefore the most desirable woman in the world. The fact that a human had stolen her attention, however briefly, was such an extreme blow to not just Ares, but to every god vying for her affections."**

Issei could only hang his head. He supposed he should count himself lucky there was only one god after him with an irrational chip on his shoulder. That he knew of anyway. But now that god had become an ancient superpowered concept that practically guaranteed violence, who had thousands of ears to think about how he would dismember him. Adding to that, he was probably working with terrorists that threaten the peace of three species, and therefore endangering the entire human race.

"And now I'm one of the people who have to deal with it." Issei groaned. "Any other things I should know? Anyone else you pissed off?"

 **"Not to my knowledge, no. But I feel confident that you have received the entire truth as I know it, and will form future judgements and decisions accordingly."**

"That mean you're gonna introduce yourself now?"

 **"Indeed. My name is not as prominent in legend as the gods, or heroes such as Heracles, but it is there. Their stories have been twisted and aggrandized, but my name persists. They call me Prometheus."**

* * *

"The guest list has nearly been finalized." Sona announced to the room. "After careful consideration, it has been decided that Lady Gabriel shall be the one to attend the Young Devils Gathering, escorted by Griselda and a small contingent of Angels and exorcists. Governor-General Azazel has decided to come himself, to be accompanied by one of his generals, Baraqiel. They are scheduled to arrive one day before the start of proceedings."

She then sighed and uncharacteristically slumped down into her well-padded chair. "The problem here… is you people." She nearly groaned, but she wasn't quite that exhausted yet.

Vali Lucifer simply continued sipping his tea.

Seeing the subtle signs of her friend's irritation, Rias decided to take over. "Vali, I'm sure you realize that the mere mention of your name will increase tensions tenfold in the Underworld. Almost everybody there will want you dead, even more so when they find out you are a Devil-human hybrid. Why do you want to go?"

"Oh, please, like I don't know how to handle myself in a room of people who hate me. That pretty much describes my childhood. Call it instinct, but I feel like I'm gonna have some fun during this event."

"Considering your definition of fun, that only fills me with dread." Said Rias.

"Well, somebody needs to be there as a representative, and you wouldn't like the other options. I mean, the Pendragon name makes Devils twitchy, and you people want to execute Kuroka. All the others on my team have no experience in politics. Most importantly, I'm the only one that Ophis listens to me, albeit only slightly."

"I sincerely doubt that you have any degree of influence over a being like that." Rias couldn't keep the snark out completely. "But out of curiosity, why on earth would she listen to you?"

Vali smirked. "Dragons recognize each other. Ophis probably doesn't even realize that Albion and I are separate beings. She looks at me, and she sees the Vanishing Dragon, not the Vali Lucifer. That is the only reason she acknowledges me."

"I didn't take you to be so self-deprecating." said Sona.

"Pride is one thing, ignorance can be deadly. Besides, ultimately it does not matter what Ophis thinks of me. She is not my final goal." Vali's voice died down to a mutter. "But back to the point, when are the mages set to arrive?"

"Because of our direct link, Issei and Minnie will accompany us and our peerages. The Gremory household will have the honor of housing them during their stay."

"Good, good. Those two seem to attract trouble. And I wanted to talk with them some more, anyway. How did the higher-ups react to Ares surfacing?"

"About as well as you would expect." Rias reported. "My brother and Lord Asmodeus are working to prepare countermeasures against Ares' corruptive influence, but progress is slow. Luckily, Governor-General Azazel is assisting, and we could have a way to block, or at the very least mitigate his effects on our soldiers."

"Ares won't put too much effort into raising bloodlust, it won't give him the war he's looking for. But you will still need to watch out for passive effects, especially if and when somebody engages Ares in battle."

"Noted. Do you need us to arrange transport to the Underworld?"

"That would be much appreciated. I'd like to try and get in there legally for once."

"I'm going to ignore that last part. But on the topic of doing things legally… You know if Kuroka ever sets foot in the Underworld, she would be hunted down with a kil-on-sight order." Sona said carefully.

Vali, however, was not as concerned. "She can take care of herself. Besides, she doesn't even want to come along for the Gathering. And I doubt the top bosses will be too concerned about that considering the mess they are about to find themselves in very soon."

"Nevertheless," Sona pressed on. "I, and the Satans, would rather have as little sources of conflict as possible in the future. We have kept it private for now, but if word gets out that we are harboring such a high-profile fugitive. Let me remind you, no matter how authentic the charges may be, the population still sees her as a bloodthirsty, lunatic. If we are to work together, we need to change that perception."

"Okay, alright, I get your point. But I won't make any decisions for her. And I will say this now; Kuroka is not the negotiating type. There's really only one Devil she would be willing to talk to, and you both know how that would turn out." He gave them a knowing look.

Rias repressed the urge to groan. She had been constantly stressed for weeks, on the ground helping to smooth out an inter-faction nightmare, and any complication or potential complication needed to be hammered down as fast as possible. But they were both discovering the sheer obstinacy of almost everyone involved. "Koneko would rather see Kuroka behind bars than talk."

"Well… actually," Sona mused. "There may be a way to organize that."

* * *

"So that brute has made his move." A young man said lazily, lounging on the luxuriously cushioned sofa. He was handsome, and one could even call his face gentle, if not for the indifference in his voice. His clothes matched the room he was in, expensive and lavish. "What are the chances that he'll stick to the plan entirely?"

He turned to the woman sitting across from him, and was barely able to stop himself from ogling her like a drooling moron. Anyone who saw her would understand. Her beauty was ethereal, seeming to light up the darkened room, outshining the golden and gem-encrusted items in the room. She possessed a different kind of beauty than what the young man was used to. He knew many extraordinarily beautiful women, but something about them was inherently…sinful. Seductive and corruptive.

This woman was different. Sure, it felt like she could seduce him in a heartbeat, but it was as if she didn't need to. If he was careless, her mere presence could captivate him forever.

He quickly shook away the creeping presence in his mind, staving it away by focusing on the young girl he was holding on his lap. He found that it was much easier to ignore her presence with another nubile body pressed against him.

"Give him some credit. He may deviate, but he knows how to keep the final goal in mind. Keep in mind that he has been harboring this rage for thousands of years. Actually, I am quite surprised that he didn't act earlier. A declaration of his presence like this will do no harm in the long run."

"Alright, fine. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt."

"Of course. You can trust us. We've already kept our end of the bargain, have we not?"

The young man smirked, pulling the girl closer, settling his hands on her soft thighs. She made no sound to protest, but a blush sprang onto her face, and she let out a small squeak. "And I appreciate your contributions. But I am still undertaking a great risk simply by interacting with you. I can never have too many guarantees."

"I suppose I can never fault you for your caution." She acceded with a smile. "Well you have my word that your identity will be secure. Until the operation begins, obviously."

"About that. Creuserey and Shalba have already readied their forces. What about your troops? You still haven't described their capabilities. If we are aiming for a coordinated attack, they'll need to know what your people are capable of."

"They are capable of following orders. That is all you should be concerned about, Diodora."

"I will not have this mission fail because you underestimated my brother. Knowing him, he has installed numerous fail safes that only he knows about. Not to mention the rumors about Azazel and his ilk coming to attend the Gathering."

"They can prepare as many traps as they want, they will all be meaningless before us. This is neither arrogance, nor ignorance. I know what Ajuka Beelzebub is capable of, and you are right to be vigilant. But we have made our own preparations. We are more than ready for every possibility."

"Even the possibility of all of the Biblical Factions uniting against us?"

The woman gave him a gentle smile, but there was a hint of something… predatorial in her expression. "Especially if they come together."

* * *

 **Hey guys… It's been way too fucking long.**

 **…Yeah, sorry. But college is busy, alright?! And it takes a while to settle things. I know other authors who write under more stressful circumstances, but that's not me.**

 **Now about the actual chapter…**

 **I know, I know, I butchered the original legend. But I've been thinking- no obsessing- about how to integrate the Greek/Roman pantheon for a while. I had other ideas, but this one made me grin.**

 **Time for a shameless plug!**

 **A while ago I posted a Re; Zero one shot and well... it was a lot more popular than I thought it would be, so it is no longer a one-shot! It's called 'Chaos Theory', it's a lot shorter in chapter length, but still, check it out if you have the time!**

 **Later, bitches!**


	21. Chapter 21: Fire Diamond II

**Highschool DxD does not belong to me.**

 **Chapter 21: Fire Diamond II**

"Tell me again, why aren't we just teleporting to your estate?" Issei asked for what felt like the hundredth time. He really shouldn't be complaining. They were all seated comfortably in the lavish Underworld Express, where everything, down to the wine goblets were worth more than what he would make in his lifetime. Issei was uncomfortable, but Minnie wasn't even fazed, immediately ordering a multitude of treats from the servants on-board. They could have gone directly to the expansive Gremory estate, but Rias and Sona insisted that a public appearance would do wonders.

"The people are excited, Issei-kun." Replied Rias, with just as much patience as the first time he had asked. "Not to mention more than a bit scared. When we arrive at Lilith, the people will see that you and Minnie are considered friends to two prominent and well-liked heiresses. As a bonus, neither of you are that intimidating, outside of battle that is, which will help ease their concerns."

"I thought power was everything in Devil society?"

"It is, but keep in mind that power is something to fear, as well as admire. Non-threatening does not always mean weak. My sister is evidence of that." Sona explained.

"How much info about us did your brother release to the public?"

"Not much, especially since there is frustratingly little information about you two in the first place. They know that you are human, and Brother has vouched for your abilities as well as your neutrality. They know very little about your brand of magic, by the way."

"I guess I'm alright with that." Issei knew that keeping his identity under wraps was all but impossible at this point, but it was nice to know that there was still some amount of anonymity he could hang on to. "Why the vagueness? If Sirzechs wanted to reassure the public, couldn't he just reveal everything?"

"Firstly," Sona interjected. "We _can't_ assure them that you are _not_ a threat. You may not have done anything against us, but neither have you done anything _for_ us. That's the downside to neutrality. Secondly, you still have not shown the full extent of your capabilities. It would be presumptive to tell them that you are no threat." She explained honestly.

"Finally, there are… certain people who would undoubtedly be interested in your powers. Lord Lucifer would rather keep those people at bay, until it is too late for them to kick up a big fuss."

"Your fiancé's family, right? The Phenex family? Are they really that bad."

This time both of the heiresses couldn't suppress a grimace. "Not bad, per se. But they can be quite prideful, and… let's just say your abilities are guaranteed to push some buttons."

"Great." Issei huffed. One more thing to watch out for. "I got the message. No magic unless absolutely necessary. I'll make sure Minnie watches herself, but I doubt she'll stop flying around."

"That would be much appreciated."

Inwardly, Issei couldn't help but chuckle. He had been anticipating the meeting with the Phenex family ever since Rias explained the similarities between them. They claimed to be descendants, or relations with phoenixes, but he wondered how they would react to the genuine article. _Then again, not sure if I want to find out._

"Now, how are people gonna react to those guys?" Issei jerked his head behind him.

In unison, the three of them turned to look at the three newest additions to the group. Vali was surprisingly the calmest of the lot, discussing something with Xenovia and Tsubaki. The two young women looked as stoic as ever, but not particularly hostile, so Issei felt safe in assuming that the discussion wasn't too tense.

The other two though…

Kuroka was literally sniffing around the bar, taking time to appraise certain liquors, and often taking a long drink straight from the bottle. Shirone had not taken her sister's inclusion well at all, snubbing every effort Kuroka made to communicate and eventually locking herself in another compartment. Issei wasn't sure how many drinks the Nekoshou had had, but judging the crimson hue on her face, she would be well and truly hammered by the time they reached their destination.

Finally, Ophis was… well…

"Huu… Rrhaat ah ooh hooing?"

"Silence."

Issei didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. "How are you holding up there, Gaspie?"

Issei thought it was an achievement that Gasper could stay out of his box unmasked, in a room filled with so many unfamiliar faces (Okay, three wasn't a lot, but still, it was progress). However, Ophis' antics weren't helping.

"Shensheeei! 'Ake huu shtaahp!"

It was adorable, in a way. A goth loli squeezing the life of a crossdressing vampire like a stuffed toy. Cute, but somewhat worrying given the participants. The instant Ophis saw Gasper, she didn't stop staring at him, which made Gasper very skittish. After a few minutes without blinking, she practically jumped him, pinching his cheeks, tugging his hair, flicking his pointed ears, and… now was prying open his mouth. Maybe it was time to step in.

"Ophis, what the hell are you doing?"

"I want to see it." She muttered in response.

"See what? Why are you so interested in Gaspie?"

"Death."

"Sorry, what?"

This time, Ophis actually looked at him, still not releasing Gasper's face. "There is _Death_ inside of him."

That made Issei pause, and Minnie to look up from her ice-cream. Ophis wouldn't say anything without reason. He doubted she even grasped the concept of lying. He took a close of Gasper, ignoring the slightly teary expression, focusing on the Dhampir's purple eyes, which held so much power.

 _I wonder…_

"Hey, Rias... Can you tell me a bit more about Gasper's **[Forbidden Balor View]**?"

"Hmm? Why? After all the training you've done together, it wouldn't surprise me if you knew more about it than I do."

"No, no, I'm not asking about what it can do. Can you tell me more about where it came from? Like, **[Divine Dividing]** came from the dragon Albion. Does Gasper's Sacred Gear have something similar in its past?"

"Why is any of this relevant?"

"Please just humor me. Otherwise Ophis will keep bugging Gasper and who knows what will happen." _And if I'm right about this, Gasper might me never more dangerous than I thought._

Rias stared hard at him, before conceding. "The name of the Sacred Gear comes from Balor of the Evil Eye. He was king of an old race of sorcerers called the Formorians. They were giants, reaching twenty feet tall, and Balor was the largest of them all. Legend says that he was a brutal tyrant. His title came from his cursed eye, which was said to bring death to any other gazed upon."

"You mean, look in the eye and bam, you're dead?"

"The details are unclear. But it was said to be very powerful. Some myths claim that the abundance of boulders in Ireland's west coast come from men who were petrified by Balor. Another legend says that the reason Scotland is so bleak and haunted was because of his gaze fell upon the land and others states that it took ten men to lift his eyelid, because it grew so heavy with power."

 **Issei, what are you thinking?**

 _I'm not entirely sure. Ophis says she can sense Death. I thought that Gasper's eyes would have something to do with the Horseman. But I don't know if this legend is actually relevant._

"Do you know where Balor supposedly got the power in his eyes?"

"Unlike Gasper, only one of Balor's eyes contained his power. There's not much on its origin, but common legend says that as a child, the curious Balor was spying on a group of druids, who were conducting a ritual to bring death upon their enemies. The virulent smoke they summoned went into Balor's peeping eye, and after that it swelled with power and killed anyone he saw. Its capabilities only continued to grow until he was slain by his own grand-son."

Issei didn't know what to do with this new information. Ophis, however, was more decisive. "I see." She said simply, letting Gasper's jaws close with a 'pop'. "That, explains it."

"Explain what? What do you know?" Rias demanded, becoming concerned for her Bishop. "Is there something wrong with him.

"I sensed Death inside him. I, wanted to know from whence it came."

"You already said that. What does that mean for him?"

"Nothing of importance. I, was just curious. It should not have, an adverse effect."

Rias seemed doubtful about Ophis' assessment, but she wasn't in any position to question her any further. But Issei's thoughts were running a mile a minute.

 _I know what you're thinking Onii-chan, but you don't have to worry._

 _And how the hell are you so sure?_

 _Remember, we've been around for thousands of years. Do you any of us stayed in the side-lines for that long? There must be hundreds, thousands of relics we've interacted with that carries our presence. It doesn't mean anything, it's a coincidence._

Issei was slightly reassured, but only slightly. _Coincidence, huh? And how well has that ever worked out for anyone?_

* * *

Issei had had enough of being paraded around like a prized hog. The moment the gates of the Gremory estate closed behind them, he released a huge sigh, damn near collapsing to the floor in relief. "Gah! Why didn't you tell me your place was so far away?" The trip from the station in the center of Lilith to the Rias' family estate had taken over an hour, mostly because their convoy was moving so slow. "Are they always like that? You go through this every time you come home?"

"Of course not. This is a special occasion. But I am popular to the people. Not to brag, but among the yung Devils of the generation, I'd say I am one of the most well-known, and well-liked by the commoners, just behind Sairaorg."

"Your cousin, right?" he remembered from his crash course on Devil society.

"That's correct. Sairaorg is disliked by most of the nobility, but the people love his strength and natural charisma. In fact, I think the disdain of the nobles only endear him to the people. In terms of popularity, Riser Phenex is just behind, but his haughty demeanor alienates those of lesser station, but presents a familiar image to the higher classes. When you meet him, do not be surprised if he treats you with respect and flattery."

"Why? I'm just a… Oh, right. Never mind." Issei answered his own question. Of course, he would be treated well. He wasn't _just_ a human anymore. He was a mysterious mage with unknown magics of immense power, who is currently acting as a mediator for the greatest peace and trade agreement in history. Every side would be seeking to gain his favor. For someone like Issei, whose greatest negotiation prior to this life was getting out of detention, it was an unnerving prospect. "So, when should I expect to have perfumed nobles trying to suck up to me?"

Rias smirked. "Tomorrow. A gala has been prepared, with all the young Devils and members of their family. There is also a small segment near the end where questions will be posed to the participants of the Gathering, but that is none of your concern."

 _Hear that, Nick? Come tomorrow, we're gonna have to work a fat crowd of self-entitled suckers._

 **Sounds exciting. At this point they should pose no problem to you, but I shall help you if you require some…**

 _Machiavellian scheming?_

 **Ah, yes, that's exactly what you'll need.** He replied, not bothering to hide the slight smugness.

The delegates of the other factions will arrive the day before the start of Rating Games, so Issei would only be dealing with Devils until then. He was almost glad for that, because that meant there would be very little conflict until the rest got here. The talks were scheduled during and after the Rating Games to promote the involvement of the next generation, which means various ages, mindsets and opinions to crawl through.

Over the next couple of days, there were two main meetings. One before the Games, and one a few days later. But the majority of talks will occur between games, in backroom meetings. Even now, messages were constantly flying between the three factions. Despite all the hype surrounding it, no-one expected any tangible success to come out of the Gathering. Well, Issei did but Nick quickly (and harshly) corrected that assumption. The purpose of this huge undertaking was to establish the groundwork for months, no years of hammering in details and amendments. After all, an accord of this magnitude would not be sorted in a few days.

They finally reached the castle gates where they were greeted by a veritable army of servants. "Welcome home, Lady Rias, and welcome to the Gremory household, Sir Hyoudou, Lady Ophis," The head maid met them, bowing at the waist.

Unused to such respect in a simple greeting, Issei could only reply a small 'hello' while trying not to stare at the maid outfit too much.

"Rooms for you and your peerage have been prepared as you requested Lady Rias. Your parents are waiting in the grand lounge, and wish to meet your companions. Lord Lucifer and Lady Grayfia has also sent their regrets that they could not greet you, but they shall be here for dinner."

"Fantastic. See to our luggage, we'll see Mother and Father immediately. Please prepare some refreshments for our guests."

"It shall be done my lady."

"Now, shall we meet the parents?" Rias smiled.

"Rias, even in the best of circumstances, when has that sentence ever resulted in anything good?"

If it weren't for the lighter shade of hair and the goatee, Zeoticus Gremory could have easily passed for his son. Issei knew that Devils aged slowly once they moved past their teenage years, but the knowledge that this handsome man was centuries, maybe millennia old was mind-boggling. He certainly didn't act like a stuffy noble, rather carefree, and welcoming his guests with smiles and jokes.

Venelana Gremory was a brunette, more mature, and somehow more beautiful version of Rias, despite not looking physically older. Issei wasn't sure how, but the experience and wisdom in her violet eyes gave her beauty a much greater effect on him. Of course, her motherly aura was enhanced by the final member of the family.

Anyone could easily admit that Millicas Gremory was an adorable kid. Even at such a young age, his manners were spot on, at least from what little he knew. Of course, Issei had to cover up an embarrassing mistake once he found out that he was not Rias' little brother, but her nephew. He was a curious boy, asking him and the other guests questions about the human world.

They chatted casually for a while, settling into the plush couches, exchanging stories and laughs, sipping delicious tea, or in Minnie and Millicas' case, eating plates of treats. Eventually, once they had settled down enough, the conversation started to shift. Receiving an unseen signal, Rias took Millicas to bed, leaving the concepts and the Vali contingent with the Gremory patriarch and matriarch.

"Ahh, it's always fun meeting such interesting youngsters. It's becoming increasingly rare these days." Zeoticus sighed. "I'm sure you would do fine tomorrow evening."

"Actually," said Vali. "Issei will be the only one attending. I have discussed it with Sirzechs, and we decided that it would be better if we are introduced at the same time as the others. Not to mention…"

"More protection for your friend, yes?" Eyes flicked over to the raven-haired girl taking a cat-nap on a settee.

"That was a factor." Vali nodded. "Is her presence here going to be a problem?"

Venelana gave a strained smile. "Not to me. The stories surrounding Kuroka's crime are shady a best, so I shall trust my son's judgement with regards to her innocence. But a member of my household would not be so reasonable. And I fear that Kuroka's presence would cause some undue emotional stress on _both_ their parts. Furthermore, her attendance would not endear the Devils to your cause. Forgive my rudeness, but are there not… safer alternatives?"

"Admittedly, yes. But would it not be better to get this out of the way now? Let the community familiarize themselves. Let them know that Kuroka is harmless. To allies, at least."

"I understand that." Said Zeoticus. "But my priority is my family. This is a fairly large mansion, certainly big enough for those two to avoid each other for a few days, but let's not kid ourselves. A confrontation is inevitable."

"Honestly, that's kind of what we're going for." Issei said sheepishly.

"An all-or-nothing approach?" Venelana seemed incredulous. "Are you sure that is wise?"

"Well, we _do_ have something in mind. But I'd like to point out, the 'all-or-nothing' approach has gotten me this far." Issei chuckled, and Zeoticus did the same.

"Admirable, indeed." The patriarch sighed wistfully. "Yes, I suppose we must all face our demons sometime."

"Exactly my thoughts. Though, I would like to point out, this specific plan was _not_ my idea."

* * *

"For the record, I think this is a stupid idea." Issei stated.

Reckless is probably the more appropriate word. Sitting in front of him were the two Nekoshou sisters, Shirone and Kuroka. They were positioned to face each other, but Shirone refused to meet her sister's eyes. For her part, Kuroka maintained her teasing and playful demeanor, but he could tell that every slight rejection stung.

"Then why are even here?" Shirone growled, making Issei wince. He thought that doing this after dinner would abate Shirone's rage slightly, and maybe it did. But it was still very much present, and was not helping matters at all.

"Why? Well, in order, Kuroka's here because she wants to make nice. You're here because of your master's orders, and I'm here because even though this is a bad idea, I really can't come up with a better one."

"I still don't see why we need to do this at all!"

"Okay, lovebirds, putting aside the hurtful fact that you're just ignoring me, nya," Kuroka jumped in. "No-one has told me what it is we're doing, exactly."

Shirone simply turned her head once more, so Issei addressed the elder sister. "Look, if the Devils are gonna see you around more often, they need to know that you are no longer a threat. Or at least that you won't go crazy like the last time you were here."

"I did _not_ go crazy!" she said hotly, earning a scoff from Shirone.

 _Ah, jeez._ "Kuroka, everyone _knows_ that you're a murderer, and that's not going to change without a fight, even if they knew of the circumstances of that event. It's a lot easier to put you on the road to redemption, to peace, than it is to change the perceptions of an entire population. Please, just give this a shot. The less fighting there is, the better. For everyone."

"…like they could take me, anyway…" Kuroka muttered under her breath. "So? What's the first step in this ad campaign, nya?"

"Obviously, we need to get people accustomed to the idea of the Sage Arts. Whenever people, not just Devils, think about it, they picture a snarling, senseless Youkai rampaging and killing everything in sight. Not very helpful. But Sona has suggested that we spin a tale around that. All we have to do is say that you hadn't mastered **[Senjutsu]**. You were young, stupid and scared, shit happens. Happens all the time."

Kuroka looked at him incredulously. "That's the best you came up with? Boya, everyone knows that I'm a master. Why do you think there was such a high bounty on me? I boasted about it and the Satans didn't help. 'Kill on Sight! Do not to Negotiate!' I think is what it said."

"We can chalk that up to arrogance on your part and ignorance on theirs. Why should they know nything about **[Senjutsu]** , right? And you had no-one to teach you, of course you made a mistake."

A hand slammed into the ground, making spiderweb cracks a foot wide. "Now listen here, I _am_ master Sage! I did not make a mistake! I can count on one hand the Youkai who knows more than me, and still have enough to slap you silly!"

Issei sighed tiredly, and caught Shirone's eye, and nodded slightly. "Alright, master." He said sardonically. "Can you do this?"

The two have only done this several times, but after the first time, it was almost laughably easy to reach the state again. He supposed it made sense. Nature isn't something that is meant to be rejected. It's gotten to the point where they don't need to be touching anymore, and they no longer need to retreat into their minds and block out their senses to concentrate. Shirone breathed in, and out. Once again, she breathed in…

…and a flood of pure nature energy washed over them all.

Kuroka was completely overwhelmed. Her skin, her heart, her mind, her soul, her entire being felt like it was on fire, and she loved every minute of it. She held up a hand and made a fist, marveling at the sheer amount of power she could feel seeping into it. She wasn't even trying to absorb anything, the atmosphere was just so saturated with energy, it flowed into her at a tremendous rate. "How… how are you two doing this?"

"This is what we'll be working on. We're going to teach you our method of **[Senjutsu]**."

"This… There is no way this is **[Senjutsu]**." How on earth could it be? Where was the hatred? Where was the anger and disgust and the fear and the filth that stabbed into her very soul? "It just can't be."

"Maybe not. Maybe this is something completely different. But honestly, whatever we could all it, neither of us want to get involved with the alternative."

Kuroka spent a few more minutes collecting herself, getting accustomed to the incredible flow of power. She could feel tears pricking her eyes, from the sheer sensation. She looked up, meeting her sister's hazel eyes, eyes that she was always proud that they shared. Those eyes, that were filled with malice and resentment; those emotions did not fade, but they made way for pride. They seemed to say, _See what I have become_. And indeed Kuroka saw. For Kuroka, her fragile, little sister towered above her, the might of nature giving her an ethereal aura. There was no need to think about it anymore.

"Teach me."

* * *

It was the first day of the Young Devils Gathering. Issei was dressed in a three-piece suit that probably cost more than his high-school tuition, sipping what he assumed was champagne. Standing close to his side was Shirone, wearing a pale-blue dress that somehow made her even more adorable, a plate of finger foods in her hand, the contents of which were rapidly diminishing. The rest of Rias' peerage were similarly dressed, huddled behind their master awaiting orders. Xenovia, Vali, Kuroka, and Ophis had stayed behind, scheduled to appear with the other delegates. Issei was really beginning to envy them.

They had just arrived, and were receiving quite the share of stares. Especially him.

Rias moved forwards, which seemed to be a signal for everyone to pretend to go back to their own conversations. "Issei, I'd like you to meet someone." She led him to a tall man with dark hair and broad shoulders. He was smiling, but somehow it didn't seem as faked as everyone else's. "This is my cousin, Sairaorg Bael. Sairaorg, this is Issei Hyoudou, he will be acting as a mediator for the negotiations."

 _She's not going for subtlety, huh?_ The moment Rias said that, the mumbling got louder, the confirmation of his status sending them all to discussion. Sairaorg, though, didn't seem fazed. "Pleasure to meet you, Hyoudou."

Issei took the man's hand, and nearly fainted from the strength of his grip. Already he could feel the bones and muscles knitting themselves back together. "Likewise, Sairaorg-san."

"So, Rias told me you're quite the magic user. And despite my cousin's habit of boasting, it seems she was not exaggerating. It is doubly impressive when one considers your age, and that you are a human. Such power is almost unheard of!"

"Haha! You make it sound more impressive than it is. Really, I'm just piggybacking off of the works of mages who came before me."

"Bah." Sairaorg waved his hand dismissively. "That is the case with all mages. There is nothing shameful about learning from one's predecessors. But Lord Mathers would not compliment anyone simply riding on the coattails of others. You must have shown him something truly spectacular during your duel. Something I would like to see!"

 _Hang on. That creepy asshole said what?_

 **Oh dear. I suppose it was too much to ask to keep his mouth shut completely.**

 **We should have fried him when we had the chance.**

"I don't know if I'd call that a duel. More like a spar, really. Rias? You didn't tell me that that was public knowledge." Issei was pretty sure his eye was twitching.

"I wasn't aware. Apologies." Issei knew that even if she had known, she wouldn't have done a thing to suppress it. She thinks she can handle the attention. In fact, she was probably counting on it, using his growing reputation to help herself.

 _You know, I'm starting to think Mathers is onto us._

 **I would not be surprised. But you are far too entrenched in their dealings to cut you out now.**

"Anyway, are you two facing each other in the Rating Games?"

"We don't know yet." Rias answered. "We do not know the match ups until the night before the events begin. But I am sure we will face each other eventually." Rias smirked up at her cousin.

"I would expect nothing less cousin. I've heard great things about your peerage, as well as Sona's. I am looking forward to meeting them on the battlefield."

"Well, this is an exciting atmosphere! May I cut in?" A gentle voice spoke out from behind Issei.

Before he could turn around, he could see a slight grimace flash across Rias' and Sairaorg's faces before they schooled their expressions into genial smiles. Wishing he was anywhere but here, he turned around to come face-to-face with a kindly smiling young man. In the corner of his eye, he saw a hooded figure standing behind him. "Hello, and your name is?"

Instead of a handshake, his greeting was returned by a deep bow at the waist. "Greetings, Sir Hyoudou. I am Diodora Astaroth. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh yes, you're the younger brother of Lord Beelzebub correct?" Issei responded without thought.

 **Ummm... Maybe you should have said that differently.** Said Seraphina, cringing.

 _Why? What did I say... Oh, shit._

He wished he had imagined it, but he knew he saw the anger on Diodora's face, before he replaced with a sheepish, self-deprecating smile. "Yes, that would be me. And hello Rias, Sairaorg. It has been a while."

"Yes, it has." Something in Rias' voice told him that it was not nearly long enough. "I don't recognize your companion. Have you obtained a new member for your peerage?"

"Ah, yes. She is a former human, and has only been with me for a few weeks, so I decided to take this opportunity to introduce her to Devil society. Darling?" He addressed the girl, wrapping an arm around her and ushering her forward. "Please introduce yourself,"

Slowly, the girl lifted her plain white hood, revealing a beautiful young woman with blond hair and dull green eyes. She looked up at them, flashing a small smile, before grabbing the edges of her skirt and dropping to a curtsy. "My name is Asia Argento, Pawn of Diodora Astaroth. It is an honor to meet all of you."

"Well, aren't you a lovely girl?" Rias said. "I truly an sorry, but my brother has requested a meeting with the both of us. I wish both of you luck with the proceedings." With that rapid dismissal, Rias grabbed Issei's arm and dragged him away, maintaining as much poise as possible.

When they were out of earshot, Issei managed to tear himself away from the sensation of Rias' chest. "Okay, okay. Stop. What the hell was that?"

"What was what?" Rias replied offhandedly, before grimacing again, realizing how stupid she sounded. "I just didn't want to see that tragedy anymore."

"What? What happened? Does it have something to do with that girl? I did notice something off about her."

"Rias slowed them down, away from the crowd, before taking a deep breath. "'Something off', huh? I'm afraid it is a lot more severe than that. This is an open secret in the Underworld, but nobody has done anything about it. He may seem kind and well-mannered, but Diodora Astaroth is one of the vilest and most repulsive beings I know, and Asia Argento is just another in a long string of victims.

 _Oh, I really don't like this._

"Diodora is one of the few people whose peerage is comprised completely of former humans, but not because of some kind of positive discrimination, it's just to feed his disgusting habits. He has a type you see. All of them, they are young, beautiful women, who were once devoutly religious."

"Devoutly religious? Then how does he recruit them all?"

"By any means possible." Was Rias' simple answer.

It took a while for the full implications to hit Issei, but when they did, the emotions that bubbled up made his hands flicker. "So you're saying, that girl back there, Asia."

"Another 'toy' for his collection." Rias confirmed, having expected this reaction. "There is nothing that Diodora delights in more than breaking a pure and innocent heart. And body,"

A haze started to form around Issei's body, but Seraphina helped him rein it in before it became too visible. "…You didn't think to mention this earlier?"

"To be frank, I really didn't want to." She admitted. "Diodora is the most disgusting person I have ever met, but every time I think about him, I am reminded of one sobering fact.

" _He is not the worst of them."_

Issei hung his head, grinding his teeth and trying not to scream. "Damn it, Rias."

"As a matter of fact, this might be better for you. You have unusually good instincts. No matter how briefly, you sensed the inherent… _wrongness_ with Diodora and his new Pawn. You've seen our merciless, ruthless sides. And objectively speaking, you handled it pretty well. This is something different. This time there is no direct threat, just something so fundamentally different from you."

"Well you have taught me a valuable lesson, Rias."

 **Do not be so angry at the girl.**

 _What the hell, Nick?! She knew exactly the kind of people would be here. Don't you think that these are the kind of people that matter? Don't you remember what we're here for in the first place?!_

 **I remember very well. A noble cause and a brilliant opportunity. But I also expected obstacles. And before you say that you expected it as well. Perhaps logically, you knew that, but subconsciously, you expected every Devil you meet to be as reasonable as Rias or Sirzechs. She did you a favor.**

 _Fucking hell… This is a favor? I already want to roast that bastard alive. Imagine what the Angels would do if they found out about this shit! The entire reason I'm here is to stop humans from being dragged into something they don't want!_

 **And you honestly thought it would be so easy? That you could somehow charm everyone into changing age-old behavior against a species that some them sees as livestock to be reared?**

 **Enough, Niccolo. This is not his fault.**

 **No, Seraphina, it is not. He is still a child, and don't bother being indignant, Issei, compared to the adversaries before you, that is exactly what you are, no matter how much power you wield. You need to truly understand the harsh truth that not only are there those who would manipulate you for their own ends, but there are simply those who wish to see others suffer. That sick individual will pay, and I will do whatever I can to help you with that. However,** _ **you**_ **alone bear the resolution you need, and you can't have that without understanding the depths of depravity where others dwell.**

Issei tried not to get angry, he really did. But the fact was that everything Nick told him was entirely right. He had been verbally sparring with people who had a common goal, united against a common enemy. He had slipped into an 'us vs them' mentality. But there was no 'us'. He had already seen the strife amongst the Grigori, why did he expect the Devils to be any different?

There was no 'us'. But maybe…

"So this is what I'll be dealing with…"

"No."

He looked up to be greeted by Rias' grim, but determined face. "You are not the only one who is revolted by our current mindsets. The inherent sense of superiority, the xenophobia, the classism. Revolted and ashamed. I need you to realize that the Gremory and the Sitri are exceptions, but we want to overthrow what is considered convention.

"So you see, it is not what 'I'll' be dealing it. It is 'we' who shoulder this task."

Issei tried to stop it, but he couldn't help the slight smile on his face. Trust? Maybe a little bit. Maybe he couldn't trust Rias not to stab him in the back, but he could trust her to stab their enemies first. And that was more than good enough.

"Alright then. Let's clean up this fucking mess." He turned his head back to the throng of people in the hall, particularly the genial young man, with his arm wrapped around a young girl with a plastic smile. "Starting with that."

* * *

 **Kind of a short chapter. Sorry for the Asia fans. Don't worry, she will have a happy ending. Maybe.**

 **Well, there's nothing left to say, except...**

 **Click that Fav/Follow button, drop a review, and I'll see you next time, bitches!**


	22. Chapter 22: Fire Diamond III

**Hey guys! How have you been?**

 **... Yeah, I'm sorry.**

 **Chapter 22: Fire Diamond III**

The night was going well, but it was ruined, as things usually are, because of some arrogant asshat who couldn't help but start talking. Thinking back, Issei wasn't sure who he was insulting there.

The main focus of the gala had been progressing smoothly, each Young Devil introducing themselves and their stations, stating their ambitions and goals for the future. Honestly, Issei was only half-listening. He didn't expect them to say anything important, anyway. Probably saying cookie-cutter answers to avoid alienation. Issei was more concerned about his plan of action, bouncing ideas off of his mentors, but he was soon ripped from his ruminations.

After the introductions, Sirzechs took to the stage. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is clear to me that we have a strong generation, a clear sign of a prosperous future. With that in mind, I would like to discuss the issue, that you have undoubtedly been anticipating all night.

"In two days, the Archangel Gabriel of Heaven, the Grigori Governor-General Azazel and General Baraqiel of the Grigori, and their respective escorts will arrive in Lilith."

Immediately, mumbles broke out in the crowd, and Issei could spot a few hateful glares in the crowd. _Perhaps we underestimated the xenophobia._

 **Look closer,** urged Nick. **You'll see something more dangerous than hatred.**

Following his advice, Issei looked closer at the crowd, and saw some with very interested faces. _Those are the ones we'll have to watch out for. The ones that will be trying to screw us over._

Sirzechs continued the announcement. "The purpose of this meeting is not only to further peace with the other factions, but to discuss the possibility of trade and territory agreements, military pacts, technological distribution and much more. However, there is an auxiliary function, which is why we chose the Young Devils' gathering as our venue.

"It is the desire of all leaders to involve the next generation in these talks. If this tentative peace that we have created is to continue, then we cannot be satisfied with peace in our time. Young ones, _you_ are the ones who will decide our future."

Issei could scoff at that statement. Yes, these people are the future, but their definition of the future was very different to his. Despite his emphasis on the next generation, Sirzechs was likely to be a Satan for many hundreds, even thousands of years, if the rumors about his strength were not exaggerated. With the exception of the current Asmodeus, all of the Satans had a youthful appearance, and if human, could be in their early twenties, or late teens in the case of Serafall. The same could be said for the other factions. Even Vali would have an extended lifespan due to his Devil blood. Meanwhile, he himself would be dead within the century. He had a lot more to lose than these people.

"Of course, it is not only the interests of the Three Biblical Factions that would be represented in these talks."

 _Hang on, is he going to…?_

"For the sake of neutrality, we have invited a prominent mage to act as mediator for all official negotiations, and he is here with us tonight! Allow me to introduce Issei Hyoudou!"

 _Oh, that bastard!_

Issei could have griped about why Sirzechs would throw him to the wolves like this, but he already knew. It would be good for the crowd to get a good measure of his character, to lessen their wariness for later. If Sirzechs pulled him into the spotlight, he would be forced to interact with many of the Devils. He supposed it could work both ways, letting him get a feel for them.

But these were not influential heads of houses. These were heirs, scions who would report their findings back to their clan leaders, while he himself knew nothing about the people who make the important decisions. Even when he was playing fair, Sirzechs tipped it in the Devils favor.

Shirone discreetly elbowed him, as discreetly as someone like Shirone could manage. Issei forced himself to paste a smile on his face, and raised his glass of champagne as a greeting. The motion was returned by some, ignored by others, and the rest responded with less than cordial gestures and facial expressions. _Oh, well. I'll take what I can get._

Sirzechs continued. "Sir Hyoudou will be here for the duration of the Gathering, and I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities to meet with him and have important discussions. But please, I ask you, for tonight curb your curiosity and enjoy the evening!"

 _Pick one or the other Sirzechs, 'cause these people want both._

Despite Sirzechs' request, Issei was bombarded with greetings and requests. It seems Sirzechs' announcement had encouraged them to act, and Issei was soon swarming with false flattery, thinly-veiled insults, and suspicious queries. He could barely keep up, and predictably, Shirone was no help at all. Partly because she was stuffing her face, and partly because she was almost complete ignored by the Devils. Was that classism or racism?

Just as he was about to make up an excuse to get out of the room, a strong hand firmly fell upon his shoulder. There were varying reactions around him. Some smiles became more strained, others disappeared completely, while the rest became more enthusiastic. "Now, now. Didn't you hear Lord Lucifer? Let's not overwhelm our guests." The man waved away the surrounding Devils, and steered Issei away, and he finally got a good look at him.

He was slightly taller than Issei, with blond hair, blue eyes, wearing burgundy blazer over a white dress shirt, with matching pants. "Apologies for that. We don't get many newcomers to these gathering so we tend to get overzealous. We Devils have an innate instinct to show off, myself included. But you should not have to deal with the common rabble."

"Is that why you decided to single me out?" he asked flatly.

"Haha! Yes. I take it you know who I am?"

"Riser Phenex. Yes, Rias told me much about you, and your family." He said evasively.

However, Riser seems to have noticed. "Let's be honest, Rias wasn't very kind with her descriptions of me, was she?" he shook his head and chuckled, not waiting for an answer. "The Phenex and Gremory families have always enjoyed a good friendship, but my relationship with the heiress is… complicated to say the least, but I hope that that will not be a reason for the two of us not to get along."

"Of course not. Rias' personal life is not my business, after all." _I wonder how much crap was in that sentence?_

"I understand that you have been helping Rias' peerage with their training. That is quite impressive. Most human mages, can hardly keep up with Devils, much less train them."

"It's not as impressive as that. They still outdo me in physical performance, but I do try to help them in other respects."

"That makes it even more impressive. With magic alone, you dueled most impressively against Lord Mathers. As you might guess, many were curious, so imagine my surprise that you fought him with a brand of fire magic. One that he had never seen before!"

 _That fucker…_ "Yes, I am kind of specialized. I know few other spells, but I think I more than make up for it with my fire magic."

"I admit, I'd like to see that. My little sister in particular is a curious girl. I'm sure you know, but we Phenex pride ourselves on being the best at Fire and Wind magic, and have gathered knowledge of spells and rituals from many realms. But even our libraries pale in contrast to the archives of the **[Hermetic Order]**. So to encounter a fire magic unknown to both us… Let's just say it raised quite a lot of questions in my family."

"Well, you'll have to forgive me if I keep some secrets." He chuckled nervously.

"Only an idiot would ask a mage to reveal his secrets." Riser shook his head. "Besides, if what Lord Lucifer said is correct, we'll all have opportunities to observe your skills."

"Observe and judge them, you mean."

"Of course. Honestly, I don't know how Rias encountered you, but initially I thought she simply attached her Peerage to you to satisfy her curiosity and desire for exotic people. Luckily for her, it seems to have proved beneficial to us all, if the past few weeks are any indication."

"But that's not enough, is that what you're saying?"

"No. not for them, and unfortunately, not for me. The endorsement of a Satan is a powerful thing, but we are a stubborn people. If a human wants to convince Devils, you will have to show something truly impressive."

"Why are you telling me this? You have no reason to help me, and I hope you don't think this means I owe you anything."

"Because we'll be seeing each other more often. Once Rias and I marry, when she finishes her fun in the human world, we will be working close together. My family has concluded that a good working relationship with you would be a good investment. My opinion of you is still undecided, but it never hurts to make new friends."

 _Wow. I almost bought it for a second._

 **To his credit, he was a smooth talker. But he'll have to tone down the condescension. Even from in here I could see him restraining himself from saying something racist.**

 _Think I should nip this in the bud?_

 **That depends. How much do you value your current relationship with Rias, and how much do you think you will benefit from this relationship once they figure out what you can do?**

 _Good point. I'll play it safe. Staying Rias' ally pretty much guarantees Sirzechs' support anyway._

"From what I understand, Rias is doing everything in her power to escape from this engagement. And honestly, she hasn't spoken too highly of you." Issei thought he saw a crack and pressed on. "Just like you, I want to form my opinions instead of relying on what others say. Until then, I will support Rias and her decisions. And to make things clear, my loyalty is first and foremost, to my contractor, not Rias. Even if Rias fails to escape this marriage, should S-Koneko remains opposed to you, an alliance will be impossible."

The smile on Riser's face slowly faded, until his expression became completely neutral. Issei hoped that this signaled the end of the conversation. "Well, it seems I underestimated you. You are not as pliable as I had hoped. How annoying."

"Well I am sorry to disappoint. I assume we're done here?"

"Wait a minu-"

"Issei!" A slender arm wrapped around his, as Rias pressed herself against him. "I'm glad to see you are enjoying yourself. I see you've met my fiancé, but I'm afraid I have to pull you away, there are some friends I would like you to meet."

Issei couldn't help but smirk. "Sorry, Riser. It was a pleasure talking to you."

As Rias led him away, her smile grew more and more mischievous. "I know you didn't do it for my sake, but-"

"You're welcome." He returned her smile with his own.

* * *

Minnie invisibly hovered out of the dining hall, a platter in one hand, and a glass of champagne in the other. She had said that she wasn't interested in the proceedings, but her Onii-chan seemed to have a knack for pissing people off, resulting in the most hilarious consequences. But she didn't want to rock the boat any more than he had.

Either way, the gala became quite boring after that. Now, she had another source of entertainment.

"You know, it's not like you to skulk in the shadows. What happened to that gung-ho attitude of yours?"

"Ah, get off my back. Believe it or not, sis, I have changed over the years. One can say the same about all of us, even the old man." War, or Ares, appeared beside her, a handsome blond teenager in a white high school uniform. Of course, they were still undetectable by anyone below their level. "I mean, for fuck's sake, since when did you invest so much time in a boy toy?"

"I can't believe you would think so lowly of me. You should know that if I wanted to seduce him, I could have him in bed within the hour."

"Then why? He ain't like us. He can only entertain you for so long. Don't tell me you buy into that shit about the humans being better at 'making the most out of life', do ya?"

"Is that why you seem much more mellow towards him? Because you know that it ultimately doesn't matter?"

"Oh fuck no. I still hate him. But I'm a lot better at plannin' things out. And don't change the subject sis."

"That's more like you. I suppose you had to grow up sometime. But alright. To answer your question, the reason I like him has nothing to do with how long he's going to live, or his personality, though that last one makes him pretty funny to mess with. It may not have anything to do with him."

"Ya lost me."

"Hear me out. Within a few months, he has awakened one of the greatest power sources in the universe, he has attracted the attention of a dragon with literally infinite power, and he has found himself in the makings of what could be the greatest trade and military alliance in history. And he never asked for any of it. You see where I'm getting at?"

"Okay, I get it, the bastard's a fuckin' trouble magnet. Jeez, I thought my life was interestin'." Ares looked into the dining hall once again, spotting Issei, trying to reconcile the scrawny teen with the influential figure he knew he had become in a few weeks. A wicked grin grew on his face. "Then again, might bring in more contenders."

"You're really going all out for this one, huh? When was the last time you were so hyped up for a war?"

"I can't even fuckin' remember. These three groups are so damn volatile that I usually wouldn't even have to do anything to stir the pot."

"But now there is a peace. I would think you would be against this?"

"This is just one side." He waved his hand dismissively. "Besides, they might not be squabbling anymore, but think about what's being created here! Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils. You said it yourself, these three groups could create the greatest army in history! Why the hell would I stand in the way of that?!"

"You wouldn't." Minnie giggled. "Well, I'm glad you're having fun. At the very least, it will be interesting to watch."

"Wait, what?" Ares blinked. "You're not getting' in on the action?"

"Not this time, little brother."

"Oh, come on!" he whined. "I don't mind if you go for the opposite side, if that's what you're worried about. I won't be offended. It's been literally ages since I've seen you fight for real!"

"Sorry, but I'm happy to stay in the sidelines for now. Maybe later, I'll join in. But it's more interesting to me to watch."

"Interestin', huh? …Well, in that case-"

"Watch it. I know what you're thinking, and it is so not going to end well for you."

"Tch." Ares clucked in disappointment. "Keep that up, sis, and no-one is gonna buy the cute and innocent act anymore. Alright fine. You're a spectator. But the invitation's still open. Then again knowing you, you'll show up at the most inconvenient moment just to fuck with me."

"You know me too well."

"You don't mind if I break your boy toy, do you?"

"You're more than welcome to try. But I will be rooting for him." She said playfully. "But by all means, do your worst. No spoilers please, but considering your past works, I expect it to be highly enjoyable."

"Of course! In fact, there are some surprises in store, and honestly, I can't believe you haven't noticed them."

"Oh, really? Well, I won't go looking. I never liked mysteries." She never had the patience to unravel secrets. Oh, she certainly had the capabilities, but what she wanted, she got, and she always took the fastest option. Good things come to those who wait was a proverb that she scoffed at. Good things come to those with the initiative to take them.

"Yeah, I figured. Still, even if someone did spot them, they'd be able to do much about it. After all, war is just too unpredictable."

* * *

"I cannot believe our luck." Rias sighed into her tea cup.

"Indeed." Akeno chuckled. "Our first match is against your fiancé, in an all-out fight. If I didn't know any better, I'd say the Phenex clan is eager to flex their muscles. Especially after Issei's little talk with Riser."

"I did enjoy that, even though I only caught the tail end of it. As for the Phenex posturing, that is precisely what is happening. The clan wants me to marry Riser as soon as possible, especially with my close involvement in the peace agreements."

"Strengthening their hands, yes? Although I doubt Riser's intentions are so foresighted. Do you think we can defeat them? They have more than double our numbers after all."

Rias didn't answer for a few moments. "The foot soldiers, I'm not too concerned with. Kiba can deal with the Knights single-handedly. Koneko would be able to destroy the Pawns and the Rooks in normal conditions. Her growing proficiency with **[Senjutsu]** would give her a further element of surprise. Not to mention damage their morale. **[Senjutsu]** users don't have the best reputation."

"No, they do not." Akeno nodded. "That leaves our three biggest problems. In ascending order of danger, Yubelluna, Ravel and Riser. Not to mention they are most likely to be equipped with Phoenix Tears, even if there is a limit. Obviously, I can defeat the 'Bomb Queen' regardless, but the others would be more problematic. While not as talented as Sona, Ravel has proven to be an admirable tactician, and Riser's threat speaks for itself. How are you planning to use Gasper's abilities?"

"Gasper will stay with me. He'll feel safer and more confident, and his superior senses coupled with **[Forbidden Balor View]** would be an impenetrable safeguard."

"Do you think he's strong enough to stop Riser?"

"Definitely." Rias smirked with full confidence. "Riser won't know what hit him. Wearing down his and his sister's regeneration would be much easier with his time stop abilities. The difficult part would be doing that as fast as possible before we use up all of our own stamina."

"So, conservation is our first priority. Taking them out as quickly and completely as we can to eliminate any possibility of recovery. Well, Kiba is nothing if not efficient, and Gasper's stamina is phenomenal. What about Koneko-chan?"

"I talked with Issei-kun about their training. Due to the constant influx of energy, most of the exhaustion from practicing **[Senjutsu]** is mental and spiritual, guiding the flow of nature energy. Luckily, Issei-kun has refined the conceptual purification barrier. I'm still not entirely sure how it works, but he has assured me that she will be able to use the Sage Arts as well as if he was there with her."

"Speaking of which, did you hear the rumors about Issei-kun?"

Rias released an unladylike snort. "You'll have to be more specific. Everyone there had some rumor about him, each one more absurd than the last. I'm half convinced they were trying to outdo each other. Some of them were actually quite entertaining."

"Well, this one involved Issei-kun being a hybrid Devil, a bastard of the Phenex clan."

Rias sighed. "What is brother thinking? Letting Uncle Mathers release even this much was unnecessary… The good news is, that one rumor is just one of many. Is there a lot of people paying attention to that one?"

"Not any more than the others, but I know Riser was very curious about him even when I assured everybody who asked me that he was completely human."

"Then we should expect them to come knocking on our doors any time now. I wonder how subtle they will be?"

"Do they have any degree of control over him?"

"Not one bit, now or ever. Even if I fail to wriggle out of this engagement, they would hold absolutely no sway over him. They can't even force Koneko-chan to be complicit." Rias smiled. "I would actually love to see a match between Riser and Issei."

"Looking at your other prospects?" Akeno asked teasingly.

"Hardly. But if Issei's flames can suppress the Infinite Dragon God, even if it was a fraction, Riser wouldn't stand a chance. I would give anything to see his face after he realizes he was beaten by a _fire_ mage of all people."

The two of them shared a laugh at that imagined scenario. "I suppose Issei-kun is another spectator we'll have to impress tomorrow. Certainly Koneko-chan is looking to prove herself.

"Other than that, the only real concern I have is the Khaos Brigade."

"They'd have to be suicidal to attack Lilith right now. The city is a fortress, and two battalions of Angels and Fallen Angels are here as well. Not to mention the increased number of people that can annihilate a continent in the city."

"Certainly didn't stop them the first time. The Old Satan Faction are that desperate, and suicide attacks are definitely not out of the question. But Onii-sama has briefed me on the various security measures installed in all the arenas, not to mention the ones implemented by Lord Azazel. If they attack the arena, it will immediately lock down, a demonic roach motel is what Lord Azazel called it. Reinforcements can enter freely, and they'll have nowhere to go.

"Evacuation protocols have been readied, and the delegates have agreed to loan out their troops to help clear out the spectators. Various detectors have been installed, based on previous attacks and Vali's knowledge on their tactics, which will alert us if any unauthorized figures teleport in."

"Aren't they afraid of sympathizers leaking these security measures?"

"Most of them may be public knowledge, but even I don't know the full extent of them, or how they are controlled. Any information leaked will be incomplete, unreliable or downright wrong. Even if a god tries to attack us, and they will have a nasty surprise."

* * *

Issei woke up the lavish Gremory guestroom, and noticed something wrong.

Two months prior, he probably wouldn't have noticed a thing, but ever since he had begun talking to Sera and others in his dreams, he had become much more aware of his own consciousness. And he could tell without a doubt that he was dreaming. But he hadn't called to meet up with them. He would have stayed confused, but there was another skill he had improved; detecting a foreign presence.

"I know you're there. I can feel you." It wasn't Shirone, and he was familiar enough with her to know that it wasn't Minnie.

Somehow, the invisible presence seemed to be amused, but continued to stay out of his vision.

"Alright, if you want to be difficult about it."

Immediately, the room burst into flames, the fires coiling around like whips, tearing through the walls, the floors and the ceilings. They writhed like feelers, and before the presence could react they froze, trembled and congregated towards a single spot in the air in front of him. A mesh of flames formed around it, and Issei made a spear aimed right at its center. "Are you ready to talk this over? Because I have had a tiring day, and I need a mental trespasser like I need an infected ball sack."

"I don't remember you being this vulgar."

Out of the empty space, a woman appeared. That might be underselling it, because she was, by far, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her rich, dark, auburn hair flowed down her back, blown about by an unseen breeze, a sharp contrast to her pearly white skin. Her heart-shaped face perfectly framed her pouty lips, cute button nose, and sultry red eyes. Her body…

Did he mention that she was entirely naked?

Issei repressed the urge to stare as much as he could, but really, he didn't stand a chance. Her proportions were perfect. Her breasts weren't the biggest he had ever seen, but they were perky suited her petite frame. His eyes roved over her toned stomach, down her wide hips, and her smooth, mile long legs, which were crossed as the woman's only form of modesty.

His eyes wouldn't stay still. His mind could not decide what aspect of her was the most beautiful. He was losing control, he couldn't think, he couldn't speak, and if he was in the physical plane, he would have died from an inability to breathe. The fires didn't die, but he was losing control in his own mind. But he was saved.

Another foreign presence made itself known, but this one was not unwelcomed, but neither was it fully sentient. The energy bolstered him, and suppressed the lust in his mind. It wasn't completely gone, but it was much more manageable, and he was no longer in danger of turning into a drooling vegetable just by looking at her nipples.

"Okay, now _that_ is new." The woman looked bemused, but not truly upset. "Perhaps you really have changed over the years. It is your nature, I suppose."

"Who, what are you? God, concept, or a spirit that just wants to fuck with me?" he managed to ask once got his breathing back under control.

"I could do without the swearing, but I suppose I am trespassing, so I will let it slide."

"As if you're the one calling the shots here." He hoped his voice sounded at least a little intimidating, but he didn't think he pulled off anything more than slightly irritated.

"Touché. Are you planning on releasing me anytime soon? If you wish to be diplomatic, having me in restraints is not really conducive to a fair discussion."

Issei wondered if it was possible to have a headache within your own freakin' head. "Fine." The net of flames receded from her body, retreating to cover the walls of the mental space, trapping both of them inside. "That better?"

"Marginally." The woman floated down onto the floor, making no effort to hide her body. "Now, as a gesture of good faith, I shall answer your first question. I am a goddess, one you have met before. Well, one of you did, I am unsure of the specific mechanics of your reincarnation."

"A goddess…?" It didn't take a lot for the pieces to click into place. The timing was just too convenient. "You're… you're Aphrodite."

"The goddess of love and beauty. In the flesh, or as close to it as one can get in a mental landscape. I take it Prometheus told you about me?"

Issei recalled his predecessor's tale, and felt a burst of anger that helped to dispel her enchanting presence. "He told me you kidnapped him and tried to rape him." The words were harsh and unrestrained, but the way Issei saw it, it was the truth. And it seemed that bluntly saying the truth helped clear his head some more.

Even if he wasn't looking at her, he could feel Aphrodite wince. "I admit, I was a tad… overzealous with my advances. I am an ardent lover, and I will not apologize for my passions. But I will apologize for causing unnecessary grief to him. I did not want him to suf-"

"Oh, cut the crap!" The anger was very real and very prominent now. Enough to give him the mental fortitude to look her in the eye. "I know what happened. You tried to get him into bed, and when the weak-willed human chose the virgin goddess instead of you, you stood by and let your boyfriend have a gladiator match with him! Did I miss anything?"

The anger was real indeed.

Aphrodite said nothing, but her playful gaze became blank and emotionless. Issei probably shouldn't have spoken so disrespectfully to a goddess, but he wasn't afraid. This was his realm, he had the power. She could not hurt him here, in any way. He knew he was just being a dick, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Speaking of which…

"Most people wouldn't dare to invoke my anger."

"Yeah, well my love life is pretty nonexistent. And trust me, you can't do that much damage to it." He snapped his fingers, conjuring a white cloak around her body, and summoning his desk chair behind her. "But seeing as you're taking this seriously now, maybe some questions. How the hell did you even get in here? And _why_ the hell are you here? And why shouldn't I kick you to the curb on principle?"

Her eyes darkened, and certainly not with lust. A part of him wondered if he had pushed too far. Another part of him hoped he did. He never thought he would deny such a beautiful woman, the literal embodiment of beauty and sexual attraction. But he supposed his loyalty to Prometheus trumped that. After all, he was part of him. Any attack against Prometheus was an attack against him.

Aphrodite sat down, smoothing her new gown, her posture perfect and her movements graceful. "Fine. One of the reasons I came in here to talk to Prometheus, but clearly your anger will not abate."

"Why? Because of your boyfriend, he's had to relive the past, and you were a part of that too. Want to dredge up old memories yourself?"

"I don't care for Ares' goals. He wants to see the greatest war this universe has ever seen. He doesn't just want to watch the world burn, he wants to make other people burn it with him. That's just boring. Predictable. Oh sure, he'll say war is chaotic. No matter what the generals plan, it will dissolve once the blood starts flowing. But in the end, there are only so many outcomes. Victory, defeat, or a stalemate. No wonder it's fallen out of fashion these days."

"Have you read a newspaper lately? Japan may be peaceful, but you only need to go as far as the next country over or 60 years ago to see world peace isn't one of our achievements. And the less said about the Biblical Factions the better."

"Oh please." She rolled her eyes. "You call those wars? It wasn't even the first mass extermination I've seen. Efficient, but not at all original. What you call wars today would be petty squabbles in the past. Back then, entire empires, _continents_ , would take up arms. Rivers would either run with blood or drank dry. People hundreds of miles from the front would live in constant fear. Armies would fight until the last man, soldiers staring death in the face every second. Thousands, even millions dead. Sometimes in one battle.

"In comparison, what you call wars would be mere skirmishes, and would not even garner the attention of rulers in the past."

"We like to call that progress."

"Whatever. War or diplomacy, neither interests me. What _does_ interest me is _why_ men go to war. _Why_ they would tear their own countries apart, risk their own lives for victory."

"And you want to hear my reasons, that it?"

"I know your reasons." She snorted. "A mixture of fear and misplaced loyalty. So common, I could call it a cliché. No, aside from my desire to see Prometheus, I came here to tell you _my_ reasons."

"You just said war bores you!"

"But it can yield the results I _do_ want. And Ares may be a beast, but a beast can be controlled, even if it doesn't know it is. Besides, I'm not much of a fighter, and I only play a minor part in this entire crusade. Ares and his little friends are doing all the dirty work. All I have to do is look pretty, and I can do that very well.

"No, everything to do with the battle is up to Ares."

"So what could you possibly have to gain from this? The Old Satans are anarchists, and Ares wants to bury me. As far as I can tell, there's nothing to gain here for a goddess of love."

"I disagree. Tell me Issei, do you know what is the number one motivator for warfare?"

Issei felt that there was an obvious answer that he shouldn't say. "What?"

"Resources. Forget the drama, the romanticisms, the propaganda. Whatever truly drives a war is the need for resources. The legends and stories make it seem so simple. Two warriors marshaling their forces to fight for the hand of their beloved, or avenging a slight on their families, conquering the entire world or some other heroic sounding reason. And while I would love it if it were true, for the majority of cases a war is a materialistic battle for territory and riches."

"Hang on, mythology isn't my thing, but wasn't there a huge war because you were in a beauty contest or something?"

One eye twitched. "That was an exception. Almost all of the Olympians were involved in that mess, and when you have that many deities fighting, of course it was going to be personal. That's not the point. The point is, starting a war for romance is much rarer than you would believe."

"Then I'm out of ideas. Why are you here?"

"I'm here for you. Not you personally." She cut in before he could retort. "What I mean is… what you represent. Until you got involved, I was content to sit this one out, let Ares work off his excitement, but the moment I heard you would be playing an active role, I simply couldn't resist.

"Humanity has always been… tricky to work with. But I have always been fascinated. I don't meddle in your affairs that often, but that is only because I don't need to. Your people are notoriously difficult to predict, even for someone who has had thousands of years to practice. All it takes is one person doing something irrational and suddenly, everything's chaotic. Or more chaotic than before, anyway."

"So, what? Isn't mystery and uncertainty part of what makes romance exciting?"

"Indeed!" she seemed pleased at his understanding. "And I would not change that for the world. But quite recently, something has happened that I could not ignore. Something that could potentially change the dynamics of what it means to be human. Of course, I mean the invention of the Evil Piece System.

"I always knew that while capable of fantastic feats, humanity can be lazy, ignorant, corrupt, hateful and able to inflict horrors upon each other that even the staunchest of Devils would stay away from. You are unaware of your own mortality, of how pathetically fragile you are, and how little time you have. But there are exceptions. They may not be destined for greatness, but they revel in their life, and love freely despite accepting the inevitability of death. It is exceptionally rare, but I can always see it in humanity."

Issei caught on. "The Pieces… they extend human lifespans."

"Yes. And the other factions. Heaven and the Grigori, are inventing their own methods of reincarnation. There hasn't been enough time for me to see any significant changes, but I know it will come. What I worry for, is what direction this change will go."

"You think the Devils will… infect humanity somehow?"

"Yes. You've seen them, their culture has stagnated horribly. For example, there are Devils today who had practiced slavery! And not just of other races, but of their own kind! Even in the face of extinction and the necessitation of the Evil Piece System, their xenophobia still lingers. They all know that the System is needed, essential for the survival of the species, but they will live for so long, their mentalities will not change anytime soon. The number of humans being inducted into Devil society is growing, and when the Angels and Fallen Angels make their own systems, that number will rise exponentially.

"And consider this. Years into the future, what do you think are the chances that humanity will fully integrate with the supernatural side of the world? In my opinion, it is all but inevitable. All it takes is one battle, or one event that isn't sufficiently obscured, and there will be a lot of explanations needed. Magicians have already infiltrated nearly every level of human society, but even they cannot deceive the world forever. Once that happens, how many will abandon their humanity for youth that lasts a thousand years?"

Issei couldn't say anything. His mind was reeling form the information that he had just heard. It hadn't even occurred to him what the long-term implications of the Evil Piece System could be. When Shirone had first explained it to him, he only thought of how it works and its immediate effects, not its societal results.

And bringing in the human world to the supernatural? The more he thought about it, the more he knew she was right. But he could only imagine how that would go. He remembered his own freak-out after Raynare's attack, and imagined the same for the entire world. There would be chaos, crises of faith, and probably no small amount of conflict. But if humanity survived the initial introductions…

"Haven't you considered that it might go the other way?" he argued. "The Biblical Factions could learn from us. If it goes as you say and so many humans are reincarnated, couldn't that force them to adapt? And the leaders of all factions are progressive, at the very least they won't suppress incoming humans."

"Of course I had considered that. But what would that actually mean? It would mean a minority, in every sense of the word, would have to convince three age-old cultures that their way of life is not good enough. Three species who have embodied the word 'resistant' for the past few thousand years. Species that could literally outlast any attempt of change. No, I fear that would be too much to hope for.

"That's when it came to me. The Devils, the Angels, and the Fallen. They have been declining for centuries. Ever since the Great War, they have lost all hope of returning to their former strength. Despite their posturing, they all know that they _must_ rely on humans to survive, much less thrive. Preying on them, stealing the gifts that were meant for them."

"The Sacred Gears."

"Yes. Thievery on a massive scale. The Devils have the Evil Pieces, the Angels have their indoctrination centers, and the Fallen Angels have their research teams, constantly searching for ways to exploit their power. The Three Factions have become an ugly parasite, a shell of what they used to be."

"And you think that by starting a war, you can exterminate them. Is that it?"

"Exterminate… A harsh term, but surprisingly apt. The Three Biblical Factions have become obsolete in this world, an ugly, rotting blight on an otherwise beautiful system. The Old Satan Faction of the Khaos Brigade is even worse, clinging to a dynasty that is undoubtedly lost forever, drowning themselves in self-delusion. With these two groups, I knew that I had a perfect way to destroy them both. Poetic, I thought, the old destroying the present, paving the way for real beauty."

Issei stared at her wistful face for a few seconds, before speaking up warily. "This isn't altruism for you."

The goddess only smiled, standing up and twirling her red hair. "And here I thought you wouldn't know me at all. Of course it isn't altruism. I am a selfish woman, and for thousands of years what I want I have taken. I want humanity for _me_ to enjoy, and I want the Biblical Factions destroyed. And I want you to help me."

He could only stare. "Why the hell would I help you. You want to destroy three races, cause thousands of deaths, just because of some… some distorted version humanitarian aid! You know there are innocent people in this city, right? Children, people who have never harmed anyone, or even exploited humans."

Aphrodite scoffed. "Oh, I doubt they'll be affected that much. Commoners don't care what the upper classes get up to, they just want to know who they're paying the taxes to. Besides, collateral damage is to be expected in a war, especially one of this scale. And besides, I would think you would jump at the opportunity to join me. I'm doing this for _you_ after all."

"No, you're not!"

"No, I'm not." She conceded.

"I don't how much you think you know me, but I will never side with someone who would plunge a school of _teenagers_ into chaos just to make a damn statement! Nor would I side with someone willing to help start a war because of maybes and paranoid theories about the far future!"

"Not so paranoid." She gave him a knowing look. "Look at what they have done to _you_! You've become their puppet, eager to please them, making every move because of fear of the consequences they could inflict on you. Not to mention what you've done to yourself! I know who you used to be before this. What happened to you, twisting yourself in knots to hide behind this mask.

The flames pulsed. "I make my own choices. And as for what happened to me, it's called survival! If you know me so well, you know how different we are. You're thousands of years old, I'm seventeen, and I don't know how else to deal with people like you!"

"Don't give me that. You are one of the most powerful beings in the universe, so powerful that I honestly couldn't say who would win between you and Ares. And yet," her eyes sharpened to a glare. "You hide behind this pitiful façade of weakness. Lowering yourself to a glorified errand-boy instead of the primeval force that you are."

"This is not just about me!" Issei all but roared. "I have a family! I have friends! People who have no business being caught up in this bullshit!"

"Just another example of your disgraceful conduct." She sniffed. "A truly supreme being would not allow plebeians to touch what is his. He would guard them jealously and strike those who would trespass against him with righteous fury, for his will is the only right he needs.

"I can see that further discussion won't get us anywhere, and there is little hope of swaying you to my cause." She turned away from him. "Ares will make his move tomorrow. Warn them or don't, it will not make a difference. The way you are now, you couldn't possibly stop us. I will purge this universe of those horrid parasites, even if I have to plunge every realm into chaos."

And with that, she vanished.

* * *

 **Wow, it has been too long. Really am sorry about that. I haven't even touched my stories for weeks, but I got some time recently and I wrote this over a few days. Not sure how to feel about this one, but I have two weeks of exams, and after that I'll be totally free to write. Next few chapters ought to be good.**

 **In other news, this story hit 1000 follows a few weeks ago. Yay! 900+ favs and 255 reviews, I never thought it would go this well, and I hope I can keep it up. With that in mind, I'm looking for a beta. Someone to discuss ideas, identify potential plot holes, characterization, stuff like that. If somebody's interested, or know somebody who might be interested, shoot me a PM. Because honestly, I'm not too sure what to look for in a beta, but any help I can get would be appreciated.**


	23. Chapter 23: Trial By Fire I

**How has everyone been doing?**

 **Chapter 23: Trial by Fire I**

"And you're absolutely sure of this?"

Issei was in Sirzechs' office with the Satan and his Queen standing stoically behind him. After Aphrodite's dream visit, (after a few minutes of calming himself down, of course) Issei decided that he needed to warn Sirzechs. Luckily despite the late hour it seems both Sirzechs and his Queen were working late night, and were ready to receive him. This was not the time to be holding things close to the chest. People needed to know what's coming.

"I could be wrong, but Aphrodite doesn't seem to be the type to make idle threats. If she says that an attack will occur tomorrow, I can't help but believe her."

"I am still quite concerned by how easily she managed to enter your mind." Said Grayfia.

"She didn't. Not entirely. She couldn't get past my passive defenses, she simply waited for me to notice her presence."

"Never mind that." Sirzechs pressed on. "Did she say any specifics?"

"No. But you know the schedule for tomorrow better than I do. What would be the most likely target for the Old Satan Faction?"

"There are several high-profile targets. The most obvious ones are Sona against Sairaorg, and Rias' match against Riser Phenex, which would undoubtedly be the crowd favorite. I know that many nobles would be interested in that particular match, seeing as they are both powerful and potentially highly influential.

"It will most likely be my sister's match." Sirzechs concluded. "The Game will have the most spectators and every delegate will be present to kickstart the events. Many commoners will be spectating, and the participants are young, popular and future pillars to the Devil community. If they wish to make the most impact, rather than be as efficient as possible, that would be the time to strike."

"What can be done?"

"Right now we can only inform the other factions."

"I'm guessing it's too much to ask them to postpone the match?"

"Yes. We can't afford to look so weak that a mere threat, no matter how credible it may be, would scare us that much. And at least we know it's coming tomorrow. If we postpone it, we would have no idea when they would strike next."

"Should we tell Rias and Riser? They are the ones that are most at risk. And if they tire themselves out too much, they won't be able to defend themselves properly."

"That will not be a problem." Said Sirzechs. "Anyone that enters the artificial dimension used for the Rating Games can be pulled out in an instant, even if they aren't injured. Rias and Riser aren't meant to be in the front lines anyway."

"They won't be pleased about that." Alright, he would play along with that. But Sirzechs didn't stay anything stop him from telling Shirone. Not that he could have, anyway.

"They need to live with it. Other than that, there is not much we can do that we haven't already done."

Issei soon retired for the night after a few minutes of clarifying the other defenses. There was nothing left he could do, all of it would up to Sirzechs and the other leaders. The most he could do now was to try and get some rest, so he would not be caught off guard tomorrow. He'd need to be alert tomorrow. He knew that Shirone and everyone else are probably in no danger, but he did not want to underestimate the Khaos Brigade, or Ares and Aphrodite for that matter.

He reached his room, the aid leading him here bowing before departing. He stepped inside, only to stop upon seeing who was sitting cross-legged on his bed in cat print pajamas. "Where were you?"

He decided to go with it. "Talking to Sirzechs."

"Was it about what happened earlier?"

Issei opened his mouth to ask, before his thoughts caught up to him and he smiled. "I thought that it was just a reflex, but no. It was you who sent the nature energy to me. Thank you." And he truly meant it. If it weren't for the nature energy dulling Aphrodite's presence, he would have been an invalid for her entire visit. "But how did you know to do it?"

"I sensed that you were in trouble. I thought you were being attacked, but I couldn't sense anyone near you. I didn't know what else to do."

"Well, I say you did good. I would have been a goner if you hadn't done that."

"So what happened?"

"I got a visitor." He said, tapping his temple. "Up here. Our bond must be getting stronger if you recognized I was in trouble in your sleep."

"I couldn't tell who it was. I just knew you didn't like them, and they were intruding. I didn't like it."

"She couldn't have left any sooner."

"She?"

"My visitor, was an agent from the Khaos Brigade. A goddess this time, Aphrodite."

Shirone's eyes widened, to a degree that would be imperceptible to anyone else. "The goddess of love and beauty. No wonder you needed help. So, what did she want?"

"To recruit me." He sat himself down at the edge of the bed. "She made some big speech about how she wanted to destroy the Three Factions for the sake of humanity. I didn't really buy into it, don't worry. After that, things sort of devolved, and I may have lost my temper before she left. In any case, an alliance is out of the question."

"So that's why you were talking to Lord Lucifer. Should we be worried?"

"Be careful. There will be an attack tomorrow, but apparently the match cannot be canceled. I know you don't want to lose. But when you fight, fight to win as fast as you can. Don't worry about saving trump cards or anything. Take them out quickly. And if anything goes wrong in there-"

"I'll summon you. Don't worry. I won't do anything stupid."

"Make sure to warn your master. She tends get a little overexcited." When the Nekoshou made no move to leave, he scooched closer. "Something else bothering you?"

Shirone drew her knees up to her chest, her ears flattening, and her tail curled around her slender flame. "It's about Nee-san…"

"Ahh… Still having doubts about teaching her **[Senjutsu]**?"

"No. I don't like it. But I trust you, Senpai. At the least, if she goes crazy, you can stop her."

Issei had to smile at her confidence. "Happy to hear it. Honestly, she's progressing rather well. She's pretty stubborn into clinging to her old ways, but once she gets past it, chances of insanity are close to zero. Then what's the issue?"

"…She's been trying to make a bond with me. Like our contract, but through **[Senjutsu]** instead of magic."

 _Damn it, Kuroka._ He'd warned to take things slow. Years of fear and hate won't disappear just because of a few training sessions. He had suggested to her to not to push things with her sister, to let Shirone approach her. To allow the trust she had lost to regrow. But of course, that woman was too impatient and headstrong to listen.

"What are you thinking?"

"…I'm not doing it." She hugged herself tighter. "I can't let her in. Not after that. Not so soon."

Issei didn't have to ask what 'that' was. "There's nothing wrong with that. You don't have to feel guilty for rejecting her."

"I'm _not_ feeling guilty."

"Then why the emotional tailspin- Oh… I get it. You want to this. You want to rebuild this relationship. You just can't bring yourself to do it."

The girl only nodded, her face hidden beneath her snow-white hair.

Issei sighed. Shirone could be great company, but he had to learn to infer a lot from her short replies and tiny gestures. Even to people she explicitly trusted, it was difficult. Shirone just wasn't the type to display emotion. On the other hand, dealing with her sister was a complete chore. When Kuroka got comfortable, it was impossible to shut her up. Feelings, opinions, suggestions, questions, all of them flowed out in a torrent, making it difficult to tell what was relevant, what were idle musings and what were genuine worries.

 _Is this what they call an unstoppable force against an immovable object?_

 **An apt analogy.** He could feel Sera nodding.

 _I don't suppose you have any solutions?_

 **Not really.** She said apologetically. **I was an only child, and the only balancing acts I've ever had to manage were between magical formulas.**

 **Well…** Nick began. **I, myself have limited experience with family matters, but if I may offer a suggestion? You are a mediator after all, if in name only. Maybe there is a compromise to be made, another method that would let the Kuroka girl gain Shirone's trust without being so… invasive?**

 _I got something… Just weighing out the pros and cons… Ah, screw it. I've already thrown my lot in with these guys. What's the harm in formalizing it?_

"What if _I_ do it? What if I form the bond with her instead?"

He gazed into her golden eyes, and watched them fill with surprise, confusion, and finally and expectedly, rage. Having foreseen this, Issei quickly gathered her into a tight embrace, opening their connection wide and sending pulses of energy to her, a mixture of his flames and the natural energy they shared. He continued doing that for a while, the rhythmic waves acting like a lullaby, until Shirone began reciprocating with her own.

"Why? Why would you even suggest tying yourself to her?" she asked, her voice muffled, but the emotion was no less clear.

"That's not what I'm trying to do. But you can't bring yourself to trust her. Even if you want your sister back, she's not the same person from before. You're still afraid of her, and what she can do. I suppose a normal person would try and get rid of that fear, or ease the two of you into a new relationship. But I don't know how to do that, and I doubt you two would listen that much if I did." He smiled when he felt her shake her head.

"Look, the way I see it, Kuroka is not going to stop trying, and deep down, you don't want her to stop. This isn't just about forgiveness, it's about trust. You can't trust Kuroka, and honestly, I don't fully trust her either, especially when it comes to you. But if I use **[Senjutsu]** to form a bond with her, I can keep an eye on her, and help her with our brand of **[Senjutsu]** at the same time. And you can trust me."

"I know. But what if-"

"What if what? I'll tell you now, that if she tries anything funny, I'll shut it down immediately. She can't hurt me, Shirone. And that means she can't hurt you."

The Nekoshou didn't say anything, but she didn't have to use words. Issei could feel her magic, no, her life force, reaching out towards him, a spiritual hand reaching for his and he was more than willing to take it. Anxiety, fear, comfort, confidence, anger, understanding, so many emotions were exchanged Issei couldn't tell who was feeling them. He supposed it didn't matter.

"Do it."

* * *

Turns out, Issei didn't have to worry about Rias' performance in the Game. He still did, of course, but it was totally unnecessary.

Despite Rias predicting an all-out Rating game would be slated for her, where the two Peerages would be placed in an artificial landscape where victory would be decided upon the opposing King surrendered or was defeated. A Game where tactics would play an integral part to success.

Instead, it seems the powers-that-be wanted something a bit more… direct.

The Dice Figure Game was a blitz-type Game. For every round, the two Kings would roll two six-sided dice. The Kings would then send out members of their peerage that have an equal or lesser value of Pieces. A result of eight would mean sending out a Rook and a Bishop, or five Pawns, or even just one Knight. The value of the Kings themselves are predetermined by judges based on their individual strength and value of their servants, Rias being set at 9 Pawns while Riser scored 11 Pawns. The rounds would continue until the King was incapacitated. In the case that one or both sides have no Pieces below the roll number, the dice are rolled again until the remaining Pieces can be used. Now that Rias thought about it, it made perfect sense to choose this format as it was the fastest way to display the martial strength of each member of the Peerage.

There was also the chance that her brother had a hand in this. Since they did not know when exactly the Khaos Brigade would attack, this would ensure that the minimum amount of effort would be expended in the Game. Whichever the case, it did not change Rias' intentions to win. And to make an impression.

With that in mind, when Riser sent out four Pawns and one Rook in the first round, she decided to meet them in battle herself.

"Oh my. What have we here, girls? It seems Lady Rias has seen fit to personally grace us with her presence. I am honored." The Rook with the half-mask (Honestly, she couldn't be bothered to remember their names), sneered at her, performing a mock curtsy. "What's wrong? Don't think your little pets can handle us?"

"Quite the opposite. They are all magnificent Pieces. I'd rather not insult them by wasting their time with something so… trivial."

The green-haired twins in bloomers growled, and started their chainsaws. Rias couldn't help but smile and wonder if they thought they were being intimidating. Another part of her wondered what possessed Riser to let them have such impractical weapons. Similarly, the French maids dropped into combat stances. Water-element, incorporated into their hand-to-hand combat, she idly recalled. Not that it really mattered in the end.

No words were exchanged. Taunts were unnecessary, and respect was absent. They waited with baited breath fro the starting signal, counting the heartbeats until they could attack.

The bell rung, and they charged. They should have surrendered.

The French maids reached her range first, and they were the first to fall.

They had excellent synchronization, and magic circles appeared on their hands with great timing, summoning blades of water to coat their fists, maximizing the damage of their punch. Their forms were impressive too, they were well-trained and left few openings for her to exploit.

She had seen better.

With no warning, crimson energy erupted around her, thoroughly decomposing their magic circles, piercing their bodies. Within a second, their limp forms were teleported away in a flash of blue light.

 **[2 Pawns: Marion and Burent retired]**

The remaining three Pieces halted their charge in shock. The masked woman could only stare at where her comrades used to be, before her eyes rose to meet Rias, looking every bit like her moniker of the 'Princess of Ruin'. "Impossible… You're not… you're not supposed to be this strong!"

"Oh? I take it my fiancé has told you about me? That information is a bit outdated. After all, my adorable servants have been working very hard these days. They have grown by leaps and bounds over a matter of weeks…It would be unbecoming for me not to match their effort, yes? And I would be so very embarrassed if I somehow failed to meet their expectations of me."

 **[2 Pawns: Ile and Nel, Rook: Isabela retired. Victor by knockout: Rias Gremory]**

It was a very short match.

* * *

"Nii-sama…"

"I know, Ravel." Riser looked down into the battlefield, where Rias completely dismantled his Pieces. "We've underestimated her. I didn't think she would grow stronger in the human world. To think she had built up her strength by this much."

"What about the other members of her Peerage?"

For a while, her brother didn't answer. "We can't let her maintain this momentum, and we can't afford to lose face. We'll have to hit them hard and fast. This match was a huge for gamble for Rias, and it has paid off in spades. The more battles she wins, the more face we lose and the stronger her protests become. I'm counting on you to destroy them. If you cannot defeat them, then simply do not allow another overwhelming defeat."

"Understood."

The next roll resulted in a six. Riser sent out his sister, and, almost as an afterthought, decided to send his Knight, Siris to accompany her. It was obvious he wasn't expecting much from the Knight. Ravel didn't either.

It pained her to say it, but her brother didn't put a lot of thought into building his peerage. Going further than that, she could say that he didn't care so much about building up his Rating Game rankings than he did building his harem. Even her own inclusion was so that he could have a 'little sister type', as he so charmingly put it. The majority of her brother's success up to now had been reliant on him, Yubelluna and herself. The rest were either fodder or distractions. As long as they kept their looks, Riser would never discard them.

As a consequence, their ability was barely above par. They were far more concerned with garnering more of their master's favor than building their strength. To make matters worse, because of the atmosphere of constant competition her brother had allowed to fester, their teamwork was abysmal, and they would only fall into some semblance of co-operation under explicit instructions from Riser or herself.

The only reason they won all of the games so far was because of Riser's her own overwhelming power and regenerative abilities and Yubelluna's raw destructive abilities.

Ravel stepped onto the flat arena grounds, fully expecting to see the blond Knight and the timid Bishop. She didn't know much about the latter, only that Rias was forced to keep him in lockdown until recently due to the instability of the **[Forbidden Balor View]**. He should be fairly easy to handle because of his inexperience.

She was not expecting a single small Rook to meet them on the battlefield.

For a second she was insulted. Then she remembered the destruction Rias had brought upon five of her comrades. She didn't have time to be insulted. An average Low-class Rook would be a match for Siris, and would probably be able to withstand her flames, at least to a limited extent. And Rias and her Peerage have proven to be anything but average. This girl, Koneko Toujou, would prove to be a challenge.

The signal rang, and the battle begun.

Before she could even blink, Siris had started sprinting over to the Rook, her zweihander bearing down on the girl's head. The Rook, for her part, barely glanced up, and only raised her left arm to block it. The massive sword was taller than Toujou and twice as wide as her defending limb, but the moment it contacted her arm, it simply… stopped. It didn't slow down first, it didn't even cut through her sleeve, it just stopped in mid-air. Siris didn't even have time to react as Toujou right hand clasped the edge of the sword, while her foot was slammed into Siris' gut, sending her careening into the dirt.

 _That doesn't make sense! That was not possible! Physical strength and durability training, I can understand, but that wouldn't have left even her clothing unscathed! A magic barrier? Or a force field? But a Rook shouldn't have that much magical ability!_

A horrifying noise wrenched he rout of her thoughts, and she saw Toujou grip the sword with both hands, and with minimal effort, shatter it like glass. In truth, that was more what she expected from a Rook. Ravel raised her hand to attack, but had to jump to the side to evade the shard of metal that was spinning towards her, and noted that Siris had managed to do the same. But soon, Siris was forced to contend with Toujou in unarmed combat, an area that she had little training in. She summoned her wings of flame in a feeble attempt to rescue her, but she could do nothing but hear Siris' ribs crack just before she was whisked away.

 **[Knight: Siris retired]**

She suppressed an unladylike snarl, and instead shot a focused beam of fire onto the enemy. Usually, she would have unleashed a widespread flame at this distance because the enemy might dodge. But she had the feeling that this enemy embodied the role of the Rook perfectly. Strong, stalwart and unrelenting. She couldn't waste time on tactics. Besides, she was a Phenex. She didn't need them.

Maintaining a steady hover about twenty meters away, she surveyed the damage she had done, but as expected, it was minimal. Not even her clothes were charred, which just added to her confusion. Ravel launched a high-tier wind spell, summoning a twister beneath Toujou's feet, immediately followed by another burst of flame. She kept up both the flame and the tornado, the elements feeding each other making the other stronger. Others would have called it overkill, but her brother's orders were clear; make this an overwhelming show of power from the Phenex.

It turns out, it wasn't enough.

Ravel felt her spell being disrupted, and struggled to keep the fiery winds raging, but already she could see slivers of some magic escaping the tornado.

A massive impact shook the arena, cracks appearing right at the base of the twister. Ravel felt her wind magic disperse, and a massive shockwave blew apart the cyclone, revealing the Rook wreathed in a kind of white, wispy aura. Even at a distance, she could tell something was off. Something about that aura was unsettling her. But there was something else that caught her attention; a pair of white cat ears on her head, a white tail twirling behind her. _Nekomata?! Then that's not magic, it's-_

Still falling to the ground, Toujou threw a punch into the air, and Ravel was shot back like a cannonball.

* * *

"Yay! Go Shirone-chaaan! That's my sister down there, you bastards! Whooo!"

Issei agreed wholeheartedly, albeit more quietly, with Kuroka's cheers. Shirone was doing very well in the fight. She seemed to be following his advice, using **[Senjutsu]** right from the start, protecting herself from physical damage, taking out that Knight as quickly as possible. Even the other uptight nobles sitting behind them in the viewing gallery had to clap politely when Siris went down, at least when they weren't glaring at Kuroka. Speaking of which…

"Oi, keep it down!" he hissed. "We're attracting enough attention as it is!"

"Oh, shut up, my little sis is kicking ass, nya!"

Issei could only sigh. Technically, Vali, Ophis and Kuroka were his responsibility, which is why he was babysitting the elder Nekoshou when she demanded to come along to meet the other delegates, or in her own words 'see cute, little Shi-chan pound their faces in.' It had been made sure to spread the word that Kuroka was on probation and under proper supervision, but her boisterous personality didn't really do much to endear her to the upper classes.

He looked to his other side, where the other leaders were chatting somewhat amiably, discussing the fight in front of them. Sirzechs, in particular, was beaming so widely it was borderline creepy. Ever since Rias' match, the smile only continued to grow, and honestly Issei was impressed himself. Obviously, he knew Shirone and Gasper had been working hard, and he had heard that Kiba had been working his ass off. He should have assumed that Rias and Akeno had not been idle.

Azazel was also pretty enthusiastic, especially after seeing Shirone start using **[Senjutsu]**. He supposed a man of his age and position didn't have many opportunities to study something new, and while Sages were not unheard of, Sages that remained completely sane have never been seen before. No doubt he would bombard them with questions at the first opportunity.

Gabriel was clapping along as well. Just like her elder brother, the beautiful Archangel always had a smile on her face, but it seemed oddly sincerer than his. Her arrival had been extremely tense, but it seems to have defused slightly. Right now, she was actually chatting with Serafall. He might have been imagining it, but Serafall didn't seem very happy about the Archangel's attention. Though granted, every Devil in the gallery must have been getting antsy from the holy aura she radiated.

He turned back to the match, where Shirone was still punching energy blasts at Ravel Phenex, forcing her to keep her distance and not even giving her time to retaliate. "That was one of the techniques you taught her, huh?"

"Nya!" responded Kuroka. "It's a pretty basic move, can't even call it a real technique. But Shirone-chan likes punching all the things, so I thought it would suit her, nya. She doesn't really do subtlety."

"How long do you think this match is gonna go?"

"Depends on how well that Phenex can take a punch. Their regen is tough to get around, but it ain't like yours. Blondie's gonna tire out well before Shirone-chan if that's all she's relying on. Besides, **[Senjutsu]** will mess with her own energy and it'll screw up her healing. Unless she has a hidden trick up her sleeve then Shirone's a shoo-in."

"You know a lot of about the Phenex. I keep forgetting that you used to be a Devil."

"Still am, just a labelled a Stray. And yeah, fought a couple of the cocky bastards in my time. All the same really, take out the healing and the fire, and most of them aren't even decent fighters, nya. Hell, my master had a Game against this one guy, I put a curse on him to temporarily disable his healing." Kuroka started chuckling at the memory. "Bastard was so frightened he didn't even realise he could just overpower the curse, nearly pissed himself when I drew blood, nyahahaha!"

"Oh, yes, I remember that. Cousin Reza was very upset with his loss."

Issei willed himself not to jump, but Kuroka seemed to have seen, or more likely heard the stranger coming. They both turned in their seat, and saw a man that was obviously a Phenex, the same blond hair and blue eyes as Riser and Ravel. "And you are…?"

"Oh yes, my name is Ruval Phenex. I am Riser's and Ravel's older brother."

 _The heir to the Phenex family. Didn't Rias say he was one of the top players of the Rating Games?_

"Nice to meet you."

"Good to meet'cha!"

"The pleasure is mine. Forgive me for interrupting, but I was very interested in your analysis of the match."

"Ya don't agree?"

"Quite the opposite. I know nothing about the Sage Arts and how it can affect our healing abilities, but if you are correct, then it is likely that Ravel will be defeated in a battle of attrition. Ravel has a sharp mind, but her tactics hinge on her abilities. Now that is effectively nullified, she has little options. I have tried to motivate Riser and Ravel to expand their horizons, but I'm afraid experience will be a far better teacher than me. Perhaps this will teach them not to be so overconfident."

"You think your brother will lose?"

"Honestly, the outcome is not clear. In a classic Game, I would say that victory would go to Riser, but in Dice Figure, Rias can pick off Riser's Peerage members one at a time until it is just him, at which point Riser would be forced to face all members of Rias' Peerage, which could exhaust him."

Their attention was brought back to the match, where Ravel had begun shooting fire at the energy blasts, trying to deflect them and close in on Shirone.

"What the hell?" Issei muttered. "She must know that getting up close and personal with a Rook is a bad idea in a normal fight. What is she up to?"

"A last ditch attempt." Ruval said gravely. "Ravel isn't stupid. She will not stick to a strategy she knows will not work. Her biggest problem is her ignorance and unpreparedness. She doesn't even know what she doesn't know."

They all watched as Ravel closed the distance between them, her entire body erupting into flames. It was clear, what she was trying to do; she was attempting to overcome Shirone's defense by unleashing her strongest flames while in physical contact with her. _That's not going to work._ Already, Issei could feel Shirone drastically increase the flow of natural energy flowing through her body, but it wasn't even close to the highest amount she has dealt with. Ravel may have large stores of magical energy due to her lineage and position as a Bishop, but Shirone's supply was literally inexhaustible, and she had the mental fortitude to make use of it for a long time.

As expected of someone with little close quarters combat training, Ravel's charge was easily intercepted as Shirone grabbed her by the front of her dress and used the Phenex's own momentum to slam her into the ground. Flames poured out of Ravel, her wings burning brighter and brighter, but it was all blown away with Shirone's overwhelming ki.

Shirone raised a hand, poised towards Ravel's neck.

 **[Bishop: Ravel Phenex, surrendered. Victor by forfeit, Koneko Toujou]**

Ruval sighed. "Well, that was the smartest move she could make. No sense exhausting herself for no reason when there are other fights later on in which she could be useful."

"Do you think Riser would be able to defeat Koneko?" asked Issei.

"Oh, definitely." Ruval nodded. "Riser is much stronger than his sister. Even assuming that that display was not all that Rook is capable of, I am confident that Riser can overcome it. But not without a price. He has a limit, great as it is, and if Rias uses her Pieces right, she can have her servants retire before being defeated, and attack him in waves. The overall victory is still a toss-up at this time." He nodded towards the arena. "It all depends on how many of Rias' pieces he can completely defeat."

They watched the dice land on a three and a five. Eight Pawns.

 _Rias won't waste this chance. If she's aiming for the shock and awe tactic, Shirone is going back out there. Question is whether she'll add anyone else to… Okay I should have seen that one coming._

Shirone walked out, dragging a timid Dhampir behind her. Issei supposed that made sense. If Gasper was to maximize his abilities, he needed to be as comfortable as possible. Hopefully his stage fright wouldn't be too crippling. Rias was probably just relieved that he had not brought the paper bag with him.

"Oh, now this one is what we are all interested in." Ruval exclaimed.

Looking around, Issei could see that Gasper's appearance had grabbed everybody's attention.

"Is the **[Forbidden Balor View]** that interesting?"

"It's that strong, nya."

"Indeed. Rumors suggest that it can be as strong as the 13 Longinus. The only real reason that it has not officially joined its ranks is because of the mystery surrounding the Sacred Gear and its past users." Ruval explained. "Many people are curious and eager to see what the so-called 14th Longinus is capable of, in the hands of a Dhampir reincarnated with a Mutation Piece."

"Well, Riser's certainly not underestimating them." Said Issei, looking at the Knight, Bishop, and Two Pawns on the other side of the battlefield. _Knock 'em dead, you two._

The buzzer rang, and a familiar purple light washed over the Arena.

* * *

The Dimensional Gap was one of the most mysterious…'places' in existence. Many have made use of it, even creating structures within it. The Devils in particular, have made massive strides in this field, like the interdimensional train connecting the human world to the Underworld. But the most notable example of their success is by far the Rating Game Arenas.

Cordoning off a section of the Dimensional Gap was difficult enough, but the Devils have managed to create a pocket dimension that they could alter at will. Buildings, mountains, forests, they were not 'real' in the strictest sense of the word, but mere constructs created through magic, disposable and changeable. Even the people within it could be teleported in and out in an instant. Not that it matters since, anyone who falls unconscious is automatically transported out.

Of course, such control requires constant and detailed oversight. Every second, technicians are monitoring every aspect of the Arena, so they could respond to every scenario in real-time. In the history of the Rating Game, there has not been a single mistake, not one casualty, because of their proficiency. Accidents have happened, but they were handled with such efficiency that they were almost never noticed. They had contingencies for contingencies, reviewing the participants and their known abilities to minimize any surprises.

The **[Forbidden Balor View]** was not a surprise to them. While the capabilities of the Sacred Gear were not completely known to anyone, its powerful time-stop abilities were infamous. Therein lies the problem. While time magic was not unheard of, and has been used in previous Rating Games, never before have they had to deal with someone who could completely halt the flow of time in such large areas. Perhaps if it was a classic Rating Game, it wouldn't as much of a problem, but in a Dice Figure Game, Gasper Vladi could disable time in the entire Arena. This had the side effect of throwing their monitoring systems into disarray, since space-time in the Arena was tied to space-time in the Underworld. _All_ monitoring systems.

This was a weakness that they knew about, but didn't really have a solution for, nor were they that worried about it. Sure, the systems had to be reset twice, once when time was stopped, and again when it restarted, but that only took a few seconds at most. It was such an obscure flaw that hardly anyone even knew about it, even the aforementioned practitioners of time magic. And it wasn't as if the Dhampir could keep it up indefinitely, right?

Unfortunately, Ares didn't need that.

Time restarted, and all Hell broke loose.

* * *

Issei felt it first. Kuroka and the others wasn't too far behind. "Something's wrong." She growled.

It wasn't hard to find out what it was. When Gasper activated **[Forbidden Balor View]** , they didn't have any way of knowing what was taking place within the time-bubble. But due to the nature of time-stops, all anyone on the outside saw was a flash of purple light, before the Arena came back into view, but there was something obviously wrong.

"Where the hell are they?"

It wasn't just the ones fighting in the match, everyone inside the ring had disappeared.

"My Lord!" A voice blared out of a communicator in the gallery. "My Lord, Lady Rias and Lord Riser have appeared in the medical bay, and are now engaged in combat with dozens of hostiles! Also, we have detected several unknowns that have begun circling the airspace above the building!"

For his part, Sirzechs stayed calm. "Those stationed in the western side, move to the med-bay. Assist Rias and Riser and evacuate the injured. All others, strike down the airborne unknowns with extreme prejudice. Arena security, begin evacuation of the spectators immediately." He then turned to the others. "Azazel, Gabriel."

"They heard." Azazel cut him off. "I've given them specific instructions to go along with your orders."

"My troops have already begun to fight the hostiles in the sky. They have determined that many, but not all of the enemy combatants are Devils." Gabriel stated. "If no one objects, then I shall assist them."

"That's fine. I'm going to the stands. Evacuation shouldn't take too long, but who knows what Ares will try."

"Me and Kuroka will head over to the med-bay as well." Issei took Kuroka's hand and focused on his contract with Shirone. _Get ready, Kuroka._

"You two know where it is?"

"I don't have to." And they vanished in a burst of blue flame.

* * *

Azazel teleported into the stands, and was greeted by chaos. The spectators were screaming in terror, some of them teleporting away, but the vast majority of them were utterly frozen in absolute fear. He could see some people had outright fainted, and he could smell that there were some who had soiled themselves. Adding to the smell were huge piles of putrid dung, emitting a poisonous gas.

And right in the middle of it all, was a teenager cackling like a madman. He was dressed like some kind of heavy metal musician. Ripped leather jacket, frayed jeans, chains around his arms, his hair spiked in all directions.

The security forces were no match for him. Even if they could get over the crippling fear that had somehow grabbed a hold of them, each swing of the teen's arm just resulted in another soldier cleaved in two. Gazing at the weapon, Azazel couldn't make much sense of it. It seemed to morph and shift mid swing. One second it was a machete, the next a club, then a live serpent.

"I see." He said in understanding. "Judging by the state of these people, and if it's Ares attacking, then that must make you… Deimos, right?!" He called out.

As if the name was a trigger, the god of terror froze, his laughter coming to an abrupt stop. Like a broken machine, his head twisted around and met his gaze with bloody eyes soaked in madness. For a second, nothing happened. Then, the god unleashed a psychic shockwave that nearly caught him off guard. He was able to fend it off, but the surrounding people weren't so lucky. The ones nearest to him instantly died of shock, even those who were already unconscious, the rest screamed louder, sobbing and begging for mercy.

" _ **WHAT'S IT TO YA, HAH?!**_ "

That was all the warning he got before Deimos charged and engaged him in… well, even Azazel wasn't open-minded enough to call it swordplay. The god fought in a frenzied, and chaotic way, his swings destroying the stands and any unfortunate person in his way.

 _Shit. Better take this out of the way._ Azazel parried a swing that was so badly telegraphed, he could have done it in his sleep, before grabbing the god's throat and flying up and away. Obviously, Deimos struggled, but before he could even finish swinging his weapon, Azazel had thrown him a hundred meters up into the sky, where the soldiers were dogfighting against the aerial hostiles. While Deimos was spinning, Azazel threw several light spears, each one shining with intensity that some Devils below winced, but they all dissipated without even touching him.

 _Okay, no way a minor god is that powerful. Could he be getting support from his father?_

Deimos roared, and Azazel suddenly found himself being harassed by large grotesque vulture-like birds. Each bird was as tall as he was, with wings of bronze and steel beaks. _Stymphalian birds,_ he grimaced. _That explains the dung._ These birds were known pets of the god of war, eliminating any doubt about who was in charge of this attack. These birds were dangerous, capable of shooting their bronze feathers like bullets, dropping poisonous dung on their enemies, with beaks like hunting knives.

When he had forced the birds to disperse, Deimos had gained an ally.

A second teenager was hovering next to his brother on one of the Stymphalian birds. He was dressed similarly to Deimos, leather jacket, ripped jeans, a chain around his neck. But unlike his brother, his hair was neatly slicked back, and his crimson eyes were completely sane.

Two gods were in front of him, the god of fear, and the god of terror. And if Deimos' strength was any indication, this was not going to be an easy fight. But he had his own support.

"Sister! Does this give feelings of nostalgia as well?"

"A little." Gabriel giggled. "Though I can't recall ever facing a deity with you before. I would be wary of Phobos. His mental assaults are quite formidable. I assume Deimos is the same."

"He's crude and completely off the chain, but a rabid dog is still dangerous. We can't go easy on them, sis."

She responded by flaring her pure white wings and summoning a sword of light. Her halo shined with a glare that repelled the circling birds. "I do not plan to."

* * *

Issei and Kuroka materialized in the medical bay.

Just in time to watch Ares plunge his sword into Kiba's back.

"Oh, hey!" Ares waved cheerfully with his blood-stained hand. "You guys are a bit late. Ready to join in?"

* * *

 **Happy holidays, everyone! I feel happy. My exams went well, I had a good Christmas, and 2017 has been a very good year for me in general. Actually my exams ended weeks ago, but recently I've been spending way too much time catching up on anime and playing Fate/Grand Order. Hey, I wanted a break.**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Peace out until 2018, bitches!**


	24. Chapter 24: Trial by Fire II

**Highschool DxD does not belong to me in any way.**

 **Chapter 24: Trial by Fire II**

When the purple light faded, and the scent of antiseptic filled her nose, Rias was instantly wary. She knew exactly happened, the emergency escape measures activated, sending everybody in the Rating Game Arena into the medical wing. There were only a few reasons why that would happen, and all of them filled her with dread. Her Peerage was right beside her, she didn't even need to look around to know that, and as she expected, Riser and his servants were in the receiver room with them. But-

The Arena medical wing was massive, because it was common knowledge that some Reincarnated Devils were much larger in size, and some of them were not even humanoid. A large space was required. Normally, that large area was rarely necessary, but now, it was filled to capacity, every square inch from wall to wall, floor to ceiling.

But one look told them all that they were not friendly.

"Riser!"

To his credit Riser came to the same conclusion and reacted as quickly, if not quicker than she did. He unleashed a wave of flame that surrounded the two Peerages, raging forwards like an ocean of fire, seeking to engulf the intruders. Ravel was quick to aid her brother, and the Bishops and Queens of both Peerages supported them with spells of their own with uncanny coordination.

If one had to come up with a positive result of the Devils' xenophobia, it would be their ability to unite against an outside enemy. The Devils and the various families squabble endlessly, and blood feuds and clan wars were common in the recent past. It is instinct for Devils to yearn for power, in whatever form it may take, and they are certainly not above stepping on their kin to achieve their goals. But the Great War changed things.

The Devils incurred more losses in the war than the other two factions. The Angels saw their extermination to be their duty, prioritizing their annihilation over the Fallen Angels'. The Fallen may be renegades, but the Devils are worse than scum. The Fallen Angels fought hard against the Devils because they sought to take as much of their territory as possible.

As a result, Devils had quickly come to the conclusion that if they were to survive, they had to set aside their internal conflicts and pool their power and resources against the common enemy. And this mindset has persisted onto the next generation. Rias and Riser may be in disagreement about their family matters, but this loyalty to their own kind has been ingrained in them from birth.

Especially if the enemy were traitors.

"Riser! We can't take them all, and if a senior member of the Khaos Brigade is here we don't stand a chance! We must retreat!" She yelled over the commotion.

"That's all well and good, but they are blocking the exit and my fires don't seem to be doing much to deter them!" He growled. He had summoned flames in all directions, but their enemies simply interlocked their barrier spells. They weren't advancing, but their numbers certainly weren't going down before. To make matters worse, several of them had already begun moving out of the medical wing, likely causing havoc on the way, even tearing massive holes into the ceiling to escape.

"Damn it… Gasper, can you stop them all?" She knew she was asking a lot. Sure, Gasper had frozen large groups of people before, but those were humans. These were a mixture of races, some she had never seen, the majority being Devils, more than likely having the backing of a powerful god. "Not indefinitely, just enough to buy us time to get out of here!"

"I… I can try but…"

But if the **[Forbidden Balor View]** failed before they got clear, they would be surrounded.

"Just do it, Dhampir, or we're all fucked!" one of Riser's Pawns yelled.

Gasper's eyes began to glow as he began to activate his Sacred Gear.

"Yeah, that ain't happening."

A flash of red, then white, then purple. Then a scream.

The next thing she saw, Koneko and Gasper had vanished from their positions next to her, only to appear thirty meters away. What she saw made her blood boil. Gasper was on the ground, and Koneko in front of him, her arms raised above and her entire body flaring with the light of **[Senjutsu]**. Her arms were shakings as she blocked Ares' crimson longsword, but Rias could see rivulets of blood running from the point of impact. With seemingly very little effort, Ares pushed his sword forwards and the blade quickly dug deeper into her flesh.

If Rias could see herself at that moment, she would have seen how similar she looked to her older brother. She raised both hands, and a monstrous beam of crimson power roared towards the god. Without even looking, Ares flicked his hand and the **[Power of Destruction]** was blocked completely, but Rias didn't really expect to strike him. The beam cleared a small and temporary path from the Peerages to Ares. A pathway that was readily exploited.

Two blurs rushed through the flames, through the terrorists in disarray. The first was revealed to be Karlamine, her sword wreathed in fire and descending on Ares' neck, while the second was Kiba, a sword of shadow poised to meet Ares' blade, presumably to wrench it away from the Rook.

In one smooth motion, Ares kicked Koneko away, and the red sword glowed and extended to form a spear with a wicked edge. With a flourish, the blunt end was driven into Karlamine's throat, making fall back, and the point was jabbed towards Kiba's stomach. Luckily, Kiba was very familiar with rapidly switching weapon styles mid-battle so he was slightly prepared for the sudden change but only slightly. The jagged edge still tore into his side, making him stumble. Before he could fully react, the blunt end was bashed into his forehead, spinning him around.

All of this happened in a second.

Before her eyes, the spear once again morphed into a slender rapier, and without an ounce of mercy and with too much ease, the sword pierced the Knight's back.

She didn't even have a chance to scream before a bright blue flash filled the room. She only felt a moment of relief when she saw familiar white flames rage across the battlefield, but only for a moment. Ares red aura expanded and solidified, shielding him from the flames, but the aura didn't stop there. It not only enveloped him, but everyone around him friend and foe alike, surrounding them before turning opaque. The shape continued to grow, until it turned into something none of them ever expected to see in the Underworld.

A high-pitched whine and a harsh wind pierced the air. A mechanical whirring grew louder and louder. It was a sound that Rias recognized, but she could only look in shock as the bright red combat helicopter rose up and a machine gun swiveled around and opened fire. Bullets of pure, solidified energy, reminiscent of the Angel's light spears, tore into Issei, but no blood was spilt, only bursts of fire. However, while Issei was seemingly unharmed, Kuroka was not as well-protected, her barriers cracking and bullets grazing her.

Issei stepped in front of the Nekoshou, a wall of flame negating the energy rounds. He pressed forwards while maintaining the fire-shield, seemingly aiming to ram the chopper before it could take off. Even a small human moving fast enough and hot enough can bring down a chopper. But he was barely halfway there when Rias heard a 'whoosh' sound and a massive, ear-splitting explosion rocked them all. The light was blinding, but she managed to look through the carnage, only to see the helicopter swivel towards them, followed by another flash. Then nothing.

The rocket had detonated less than five feet in front of Issei, stunning him and knocking him back. He managed to regain his bearings in time to slow his descent, so he doesn't crash. A hand catches his back and he whirls around with fire at the ready, only to realize that it was Kuroka.

"That bastard took my sister!" she growled. She crouched down, preparing to jump up, and she likely would have reached it, but Issei held his arm in front of her. "The fuck?! Move your arm or lose it, Issei!"

"No. If you try to get close to that thing, those guns will shred you. Or they could shoot you down with magic. You can't fight at your best in midair! I'll go up there and get them back."

"And I'm supposed to just sit on my ass?" her hazel eyes had gone dark, and her teeth had sharpened to frightening points.

"No!" He pointed his arm to the side of the room, where the two Peerages were barely fending off attacks from the Khaos Brigade. Rias was down, along with many others. Riser was still shooting out flames, but his clothing was ripped, and he looked exhausted. "They need help. I know you're a SS-Ranked threat for a reason. Get them out of here!"

"I'm not leaving my sister with that psycho!"

"He's not a psycho. He is smart and powerful and if he wanted them dead he could have done it in an instant. He's baiting us. He's baiting _me_. I'll get her back, but you need to keep them alive!"

He didn't bother waiting for her assent, running off and launching himself into the sky in rapid pursuit.

* * *

Diodora surveyed the ensuing destruction around him and smiled. "The helicopter is a bit much, but I can admire his methods. He is quite thorough. Rallying two gods, dozens of battle-hungry vultures along with over a hundred anarchists. Phobos and Deimos will occupy the powerful players, the birds will harass any back up and provide defense with their metal feathers, and the Old Satan Faction will wreak havoc, disrupting communications and evacuations. Chaos in controlled form. Very impressive."

"Hm."

The disinterested reply made him raise an eyebrow and turn to face the beautiful woman behind him. "Lady Aphrodite, I realize that this is not your cup of tea, but you must admit that Ares has achieved something amazing, attacking the capital with s many powerful figures within it, and by the looks of things, it is all going to plan."

"I don't have to admit anything, boy. Believe me, you've seen one battle, you've seen them all. After a while, it stops looking like a chess game and more like a game of checkers, or maybe even tic-tac-toe." Aphrodite raised her wine glass, letting Asia fill it with the dark red liquid. If nothing else, the Astaroth family had an impressive wine collection. "Thank you, dear. All that is left to do now is to wait for things to blow over. Then the real excitement begins."

"I see." Diodora smiled wryly, taking a drink from his own goblet. He turned his head back to the battle, like a child enjoying a show. "Speaking of waiting, I don't see Creuserey or Shalba out there. Weren't they meant to teleport in with Ares?"

She flicked a glance at his direction and smiled. "Oh, they're here, and they're being very helpful right now. My sons are greatly appreciating their help. Can't you tell?"

His eyebrows scrunched together as he extended his senses, trying to detect the presences of the terrorist leaders. "Are they cloaking themselves? Doesn't seem like their style, and I'm… I'm…not aware…What…"

His words tumbled out without meaning. His vision was blurring, the wine goblet nearly slipping from his fingers. Before he could release it from its grip, a dainty hand took it from him and placed it on the table.

"Thank you, dear Asia. It would be such a shame to spill such delicious wine, even if it is slightly tainted."

"T-taint… you…" It was barely a whisper at this point.

"Apologies. I realize it is in poor taste to ruin such a fantastic vintage, but I thought I would do you the courtesy of leaving behind an attractive corpse. Oh dear, he's slumping. Sweetheart, pull him back to his seat, would you? That can't be comfortable at all.

"What was I saying? Oh yes, I was expressing my gratitude." She cleared her throat and straightened her posture, before speaking in a professional voice. "Your knowledge of the Arena's mechanics has proved invaluable to us. And we can't thank you enough for providing us with Creuserey and Shalba. My sons will ensure that they do not go to waste. However, I regret to say that Ares despises loose ends. The other two have already been handled, except for you.

"I realize that this is a surprise. After all, you don't know nearly enough about our plans to really jeopardize them, but we can never be too thorough, and we've had enough of the Old Satan Faction. Also, if I were to be perfectly honest, I have a personal stake on this."

Her rich red eyes darkened. "You prey on the helpless under the guide of benevolence. You nurture the love of maidens before putrefying it for your own sick amusement. One might say I am being hypocritical. I often further my own satisfaction at the expense of others. But I detest everything about you to the point that I can't bring myself to correct that hypocrisy. And your death will give me _much_ satisfaction."

There was only silence. Not even a whisper, as the final breath left his lungs. She had contemplated a longer, more painful end, but they were rather short on time, and she wanted to personally see the light leave his eyes. Besides, she liked the quiet way he died. Unable to speak or move, with every sense being stolen from him until his life was sapped away. Small and insignificant until it was nothing. That was what he was in comparison to someone like her. Nothing. And she wanted him to experience that in full.

She sighed, and motioned to the young girl, whose face was hidden by her long, golden hair. "Come here, sweetheart." She patted her lap, and that was all the motivation the young girl. Asia ran to her, nearly tripping on her habit, burying her face in Aphrodite's neck and sobbing her heart out. "Yes, yes. Let it out. He won't hurt you anymore, I made sure of it." She cooed, gently stroking the young girl's hair.

"…He's…H-he's gone?" Asia choked out.

"Forever." She pressed her lips to the crown of the young girl's head, who only clung to her tighter. Aphrodite returned the embrace, rocking gently as if to sway the girl to sleep.

It had not taken much. Barely any effort, really. Asia Argento had been so starved of love that she had been completely horrified when she first laid eyes on her. She visited the poor girl's dreams-no, nightmares. That was the more accurate term- and learned what she could about her. What she learned enraged her even more. Such a pure and innocent heart, utterly destroyed by this beast. It only cemented her view that these parasitic Devils had to be destroyed.

Fortunately, there was a sliver of that innocence left. No-one else would have thought it, given how much abuse Diodora had inflicted upon her, but Aphrodite knew where to look. She reveled in it, in the love and the hope buried so, so deep in the girl's heart and sought to cultivate it until it shone even brighter than before Diodora nearly stripped her of it entirely.

Ares didn't even blink when she requested, probably under the impression that she wished to take another lover to her bed. She had to admit, Asia was a beautiful girl, but that can wait. She could wait. First, she would heal her, vanish her scars, replace every horrendous nightmare with peaceful dreams.

And then maybe…maybe this girl would be capable of love again.

* * *

Gabriel was getting irritated.

That alone was quite remarkable. She was known to be the most tolerant, the most patient amongst the Angels. Even those of other species knew her personality to be always bright and cheerful. She could barely even remember the last time she truly got angry. Even Serafall, her self-proclaimed rival who made it a habit to antagonize her could not even draw out a slight frown.

But Phobos… Phobos was something else.

Azazel was right, such a minor god should not be this powerful. Each stab and wing of the spear was barely evaded, and the ones she deflected were strong enough to make shockwaves that could level mountains. She kept the combat high up, minimizing the damage to the city below, but just barely. The good news was, the constant shockwaves and waves of light their clashes exuded kept everyone else away, friend and foe alike.

The mad cackling from Deimos didn't help either.

But if it was strength alone, Gabriel would not have bothered to worry. He may have been stronger than what she had expected, but she was an Archangel. That was not pride, but simple fact. Archangels were Heaven's ultimate weapons. They were absolute, crafted by God to strike against those who would raise their swords against Heaven. This was not the first god she had fought, and certainly not the first time she had killed. That record will not be tainted today.

What truly irritated her were the psychic lances Phobos was sending her way, each one just as deadly and true if not handled carefully. She had more than enough mental fortitude to bat them away with ease, but mental interference of any kind left traces. As expected, they were designed to penetrate her psyche and draw out her deepest fears. Not only that, but the traces they left behind hung around her like a dark miasma, trying to suffocate her with pure fear.

Each strike in both the physical plane was parried and was returned sevenfold.

Perhaps she should start her counterattack in the astral plane.

She didn't have much psychic skill, certainly not to Phobos' level of finely crafted psychological barrages. There weren't many Angels that focused on those arts. But she was the Messenger of God. What she lacked in skill, she made up for in pure power. And while she was at it…

Gabriel exploded with power and two screams of pain rapidly followed.

"Thanks, Gabe!" She heard Azazel yell.

Both Phobos and Deimos were psychically forced back, the recoil of Gabriel's mental burst causing immense pain. Phobos flew back, trying to recover, but Gabriel didn't let up. Distracted and disoriented, Phobos should not have been able to fight back. And he didn't.

The light-sword pierced through Phobos' chest, and a shriek of pain from the side told her what became of Deimos. She did not stop there. She left the sword in his chest and blasted him with a beam of holy light that smote his entire body, a light so bright it lit up the entire city, causing several early Devils to wince. The light was so intense that even Gabriel couldn't see through it, but she didn't need to. She knew her aim was true.

Which was why she was so surprised when a wave of pure force pushed her back and dispelled the holy light.

"Let me guess," Azazel glided next to her. "Your guy has stupidly fast regeneration, too?"

"Half of his upper body restored fully within seconds. Even the clothes." She chirped.

"Thought so. Want to help me out with a little experiment?" Gabriel recognized that slightly manic grin. Even before he fell, that grin always meant that Azazel was about to cause trouble. Despite the gravity of the situation, she couldn't help but be intrigued. Whatever he just came up with, it was sure to be interesting, and she has always been a sucker for her siblings' machinations.

"What do you have in mind?"

Seconds later Gabriel rushed the two gods, using her superior speed and aerial mobility to harass them from all sides. The gods were not able to fully defend themselves from the omnidirectional assault, but the wounds they sustained were insubstantial, even the ones that would regularly be fatal. At the same time, any attempt by either of time to escape was swiftly intercepted, even if they attempted to go in opposite directions simultaneously. Gabriel had forced them into a single spot in midair. She wasn't really winded at all, keeping up this speed was easy, but she didn't have to do it for long.

" **[Down Fall Dragon Spear]**!"

Gabriel spared a glance at Azazel, then had to desperately fight the urge to look again lest she get distracted. _He's really done it._ She couldn't help but think in awe. _An Artificial Gear._

She thought that she was completely justified in her astonishment. Azazel said that it was incomplete, a far cry from the genuine articles in almost every aspect. But seeing him clad in golden armor adorned with purple jewels, brandishing a two-pronged light spear, she knew that he had accomplished something historic. Sacred Gears were the creations of God himself. Such a close replication would be impressive.

She didn't even know all of its capabilities.

Azazel didn't waste time. He leapt into the fray, crashing into Deimos just as he was trying to leave. "Alright Fafnir, let's see how you like these new mods." He grunted just before plunging the spear into Deimos' gut. The deity of terror screamed nonsensically and swung his sword wildly, but Azazel was already far out of reach, gunning for his next target.

Azazel didn't even bother evading or parrying Phobos' downward slash, instead raising his armored arm to block the blow. Strong as it was, Phobos' blade did not even manage to scratch the golden gauntlets. Pushing away the sword, the Governor-General quickly countered with a harsh jab to the nose. Before Phobos could even realize what was happening, another spear had been plunged in his chest.

After this entire exchange, Azazel retreated, the damage being done. The two gods were frantically trying to rip out the lances but with no result. "They'll have a hell of a time trying to yank those out." Azazel chuckled. "Keep your eyes peeled, Gabe. Success or failure, this will be one hell of a show!"

On cue, the spears morphed until they were a lustrous, solid gold, rather than just colored light. The two gods shrieked and writhed as they fell to the ground unable to maintain the necessary concentration for flight. Their veins were bulging as golden energy leaked into them through the spear wound. The energy was thick and oppressive, a kind of aura that Gabriel recognized immediately. It was the energy of a being that even Archangels were wary of angering.

One of the Five Great Dragon Kings. The Gigantis Dragon, Fafnir.

"What is happening to them?"

"I had a hunch that we would be seeing more enemies like Katerea. I didn't really want to keep relying on Hyoudou's magic every single time, and I didn't feel like annihilating someone over and over again ad infinitum."

"Brother told me about that battle." Gabriel recalled the details about the berserker Devil. "You think that they are being empowered by an outside source?"

"Almost definitely. Like you said, no way that two minor gods from a pantheon that's nearly extinct would be so powerful. And they're not strong enough on their own to cannibalize other gods. Ares must have a hand in it. And that's where my **[Down Fall Dragon Spear]** comes in.

"Fafnir is infamous for his insatiable greed. To this day, the treasures that he hoarded over thousands of years have never been found. He is the only one who has access to it. Even now that he has been sealed, I can't find it. And any others that have attempted to abscond with his treasures have probably ended up a bloody smear on a cave wall somewhere.

"After studying my memories of the battle with Katerea, I realized there was a way I could sever the connection between source and receiver. Originally Fafnir's Sacred Gear was originally going to be a simple strength-enhancement type, but I made some modifications to take advantage of one of his abilities. Namely, his ability to claim and protect whatever he desires. Observe."

The golden glow intensified, until it became a solid shell around their bodies, as if they were being encased in molten metal. At the same time, flecks of crimson sparked across their bodies like lightning. The red energy was attacking the golden shell, chipping it away like an eggshell, which reformed just as fast.

"What is this?"

"A struggle. Whether or not this succeeds on how active Ares' intervention is." Azazel raised a small, conical spear in his hand, barely a foot long, showing Gabriel the shining purple orb in the pommel. " **[Down Fall Dragon Spear]** draws its power from me and Fafnir at the same time, so it should be secure. But I want to play it sa-What the?"

The red lightning flickered and died. With nothing left to stall its progress, the gold coating spread over their entire bodies almost immediately.

The two exchanged a worried look. "I'm assuming, that it shouldn't be that easy?"

"No way in hell. Even a passive connection would be more resistant than that. The only reason I can think of is that Ares cut the connection when he sensed Fafnir's intervention. Did he just give up?" He waved the short spear, and the golden shell rippling and becoming translucent. What he saw nearly made him drop the Gear. "What the fucking hell?!"

She couldn't even admonish him for his language because she was struggling to make sense of what she was seeing as well.

The two young-looking gods in punk rock clothing were nowhere in sight. Ensconced in Fafnir's grasp, were two Devils. She only needed to look at them to determine their species, and a second look told her that they were dead. Their skin was pale and papery, and their eyes were wide open and milky-white. Their shock was further inflated when their bodies suddenly began to crack and crumble. Their eyes sunk in, their skin withered into ash, their flesh wasted away until they were barely more than skeletons. Gabriel recognized them from official reports from her own subordinates and Sirzechs' sources. "These two… Creuserey Asmodeus and Shalba Beelzebub. Azazel, how is this possible?"

For once, Azazel looked lost for words as he stared at their bodies. "I… I'm not-"

"Your theories will have to wait, Azazel. If Ares would sacrifice his... pawns so easily, then whatever purpose they had must have been served. And the only purpose they _could_ have had in this battle-"

"Was to distract the two most powerful players." he finished the thought for her. "Let's split up. You meet up with Sirzechs. I'll go down to the city centre to assist!"

Without another word, the two Angels flew to their new missions, hoping that they were not too late to stop whatever trap they had fallen into.

* * *

He was having a blast.

He always did love a good aerial pursuit. There was something different about chasing someone or being chased in the air than on the ground. Maybe it was the addition of another dimension of movement, the freedom to go in any direction and for someone like him, gravity was no limitation. It was similar to swimming, but while naval battles were cool, he still preferred to take to the skies.

The elevation also gave him a platform from which to survey the result of his actions. Every sight never failed to coax a small chuckle out of him, which would have been strange if anyone else was seeing the battle. While the initial shock of the Khaos Brigade and its pure destructive force, the Three Biblical Factions showed their discipline and had begun to rally against his forces. The Stymphalian birds were formidable monsters, but they lacked intelligence and were slowly being slaughtered. The treasonous Devils were fueled by rage and extremism but lacked field commanders and any plans beyond the initial infiltration and shock-and-awe tactics. They would incur losses, but the Factions would triumph.

Not that he's really broken up about that. He's getting kind of sick of those old geezers. He hated a lot of things, but those who couldn't stop clinging to the past really irritated him. Probably because he was the indirect cause of so much change and progress. War taught people how to be more efficient at killing, no matter what they had to do. He can change entire civilizations in the span of a lifetime. Makes sense he detested stagnation.

His steed, or helicopter in this instance only made things better. His war chariot was always awe-inspiring, but after he assimilated that war god, its power, utility and even aesthetic only increased. The inventiveness of modern vehicles gave him plenty of variety and opportunities for customization. The benefits of which Issei Hyoudou was experiencing first-hand.

A mental flick launched another volley of missiles towards his hunter, and he couldn't help but chuckle seeing him throw himself around trying to evade. Anyone could see that he wasn't used to flying. Hyoudou couldn't catch them and the defenses of the helicopter can withstand anything less than a focused and sustained assault. Phase 2 was coming along well.

A violent rocking made him think he may have assumed too much.

"Of course." He muttered as he stared down the Super Devil who had appeared in front of them. "I guess tryin' to blow up his sister would have been too much to let slide."

He felt something attack, no, _disintegrate_ the guns, but that wasn't really a concern since he could always remake them. Trouble was that he couldn't afford to lose his payload. Not yet anyway.

He sank right through the seats into open air, just in time to block a lance of dark red energy. _Not really my shade_.

"S'up, gentlemen!" He called out cheerily. "Fine day, ain't it?"

He didn't get an answer, unless you count a burst of flame and a beam of destruction as answers. "That wasn't very nice."

Hyoudou and Lucifer shared a few whispered words, before Hyoudou rocketed away from both of them, chasing the chopper. Ah well, that worked for him. As long as he was near the chopper, it was fine.

As for the Devil…

"I always wanted to fight one of you guys. And Rizevim's a slippery son of a bitch." He pretended to go through a series of stretches, hoping to provoke him even more. Lucifer stayed calm, at least judging by all outward appearances, but he could tell that he was pissed. He was just too experienced to let it get the better of him. He was wary and will not make any rash decisions. It also explained why Lucifer sent Hyoudou forwards because he didn't know if the kid could stand up to him.

A tiny niggling in the back of his mind told him of what befell his two puppets. For a brief moment, he considered prolonging their life. If he severed it, that would mean more people would come chasing after him. But he decided that it didn't really matter at his point since he was so close.

 _I wonder what would happen if he found out Hyoudou and I could trounce him._

His faux-stretching was cut off when a sphere of energy appeared and began to expand to encase his arm. He smirked and lolled his head to face Lucifer. "Was that supposed to do something?" He flared his power, completely dispelling the bubble. "Come on, now. Don't hold back! I would think you would offer something a little more for the guy who launched a missile at your kid sister-Whoa!"

That was when the battle truly began in earnest. The two superpowers clashed in the sky, blood-red and dark crimson meteors colliding again and again. Truthfully, there was very little skill involved here, no spells, no construct, simply both sides attempting nothing more than to hit the other as hard as possible. A good old-fashioned slugfest.

The Horseman quickly found himself on the defensive, which didn't surprise him. As fun as this battle was, and as much potential it had to become something absolutely magnificent, he was on a time limit here. He still made sure that he gave the appearance of a good fight. There was no reason to give it his all when he was only stalling for time, but his opponent didn't have to know that. No doubt Lucifer was underestimating, even a little. Come to think of it, that was probably why Lucifer was not using his full power to fight him. They were still inside the city limits after all.

That didn't mean that Sirzechs Lucifer was weak. He was just less strong. He could appreciate the difference.

Everything he sent towards the Super Devil was virtually wiped from existence. Empowered bullets travelling hundreds of times faster than sound, with enough energy to collapse a small mountain or kill a minor god, entered the red void and disappeared without a trace. Swords and spears that could pierce the heavens were engulfed just as quickly. Explosions were smothered and extinguished. It was like trying to fight an ocean. There was no order, no tactics, just overwhelming force.

 _ **[Power of Destruction]**_ _indeed._

He really hated having to cut things short.

A short but potent burst forced Sirzechs away just long enough for him to gain distance. "Man, neither of us are going all out, but this has been so awesome." He griped in lament. "I mean, like, I know we're gonna meet again, but still."

"Are you under the impression that this battle is over?" Even his voice was incredibly damaging. "You released your pets into this city, have taken too many lives, hurt too many of my people for me to ever allow you to leave her alive!"

"Not really your call, man. You're probably one of the few people out there who can really back up your trash talk, but that's still nothing compared to me."

"So far, I haven't seen anything to support that. I expected more from a god of war."

He couldn't help it; he laughed. "Nice try, dude. But you kind of just proved my point, right there. Inside joke, don't worry about it. Now, I have a helicopter to catch, but you're more than welcome to try and follow!" He could feel it, Hyoudou has caught up to the chariot. They were nearly there…

"You can't teleport out of here. The city is covered in-"

"Yeah, yeah, buddy. I know about your little ward schemes. They're cute, really. And it's true, nothing can teleport out of here, unless they have a ridiculous amount of power. And while I wouldn't mind giving it a go, that's a bit of a time suck. All I really needed was to stall long enough for my copter to get our far enough."

He couldn't hold in the smug smirk that came across his face as realization came on to Lucifer's. "Yep. You should have gone after them instead. This ain't an invasion. It's a _kidnapping_. Ciao!"

* * *

He let his physical form fade, and his spiritual presence diminish, until he had returned to the plane of existence in which he was born.

Issei woke up cold, his breath coming out in white wisps through his chattering teeth. His head was killing him, like an elephant was rampaging inside, doing its best to try and bust its way out.

 _Where the hell? What the hell happened?_

 **Issei! You're awake!** Sera's voice brought him some much needed relief. **Do you remember what happened?**

The memories flowed back, hazy and much too slowly, but they returned through the migraine. He had managed to catch up to the helicopter. The Devils inside were no threat and had been incinerated before they could attack. Kiba, Shirone and Gasper were on the floor, unconscious. He had entered the air craft…

Then nothing.

 _Why can't I remember?_

 **I don't know. We've tried to look for the memories ourselves, but nothing. It's as if you just fell unconscious after you entered the helicopter. Perhaps it has something to do with your severe migraine?**

 _We can figure that out later. For now, I need to focus on finding the others and getting out of here, wherever the hell_ _ **here**_ _is._

 **Kid… Look at yourself, then look around. It ain't gonna be easy.**

The graveness in Ulrich's voice was impossible to ignore. That's what made him finally notice the position he was in. He was chained upright against a giant black cross, with multicolored lines running across it length reminiscent of neon lighting. The chains themselves were as thick as his arm, secured around each of his limbs and around his neck. His shirt had been torn off, which explained the absolutely frigid temperature.

His eyes roved around the circular room, and saw two more similar crosses, and two familiar faces chained to each one. _Gasper! Kiba!_ They were in the same state, unconscious, half-naked but otherwise they seemed unharmed, thankfully. Shirone was nowhere to be seen. He could only wonder dreadfully whether or not that was a good thing.

Another look around let him see a large set of double doors, situated to the left of him, just behind Gasper. There was a way out of here, he just needed to melt these chains and wake up the other two. Then they could fly or even teleport out as soon as they could.

His next actions only brought him more panic. He concentrated as much as he could given the circumstances, to bring forth the hottest fire he could muster…

And nothing.

For the first time since his rebirth, his power had failed him.

 _W-What the hell is happening! Is something messing with me? Some kind of spell or seal?!_

 **It must be!** Seraphina sounded desperate. **But… but there shouldn't be anything that could suppress our fire for so long! Unless…**

 _Unless what?!_

A purely oppressive force washed into the room. Despite his best efforts, Issei could feel himself getting more agitated, more irritable, more violent. Anger towards himself, towards Kiba and Gasper, Ares, the Factions, everyone. "War." He growled. "Or is it Ares?"

The doors creaked open, and the lanky blond strolled in, his hands in his pockets, humming without a care in the world. "I honestly don't care what name you people have come up with me this time. The meaning is the same either way."

Another man was walking behind him. This man was taller, with long pale-blond hair flowing over his shoulders, and piercing, slitted red eyes. His clothes looked ridiculous to him, like something you would see in a history book, but they were obviously of very high quality. He smiled at them, but there was no trace of warmth or geniality in the expression. "Good evening gentlemen. Apologies for your dreadful accommodations, but under the circumstances we had to make do." Issei barely paid attention to what he said, his eyes instead drawn to the long and slender canines peeking through his lips.

"Yeah." The amused voice cut him from his thoughts. "It's just as bad as you think it is."

"My name is Marius." The man bowed elegantly with perfect poise. "And I humble welcome you all to Castle Tepes."

The headache just continued to get worse.

* * *

 **Fear not… BECAUSE I AM HEEERRE!**

 **Yeah, I just watched My Hero Academia. Problem?**

 **Anyway, just a quick update. I spent the last month in a stupor between catching up on anime from the last few seasons and shoveling through the piles of assignments and project work and slogging away as a corporate slave in my part-time job and playing F/GO like my life depended on it. College is hard.**

 **So yeah. Issei and co. have been kidnapped and sent to Romania. That should be fun.**

 **Also, for the fans of my other fic 'Chaos Theory' [shameless plug], I apologize profusely. I'll try and get the next chapter out, but it's difficult to write anything significant right now. I'm working my way through the light novels, but as stated before, my time is limited.**

 **In other news, hooray for season 4 confirmation! Hail the Oppai Dragon!**

 **Oh, I nearly forgot! Thank you all, you bastards with too much time on your hands! We have reached ONE THOUSAND FAVORITES! Thank you! Even those of you who have so many favorited stories it means almost nothing anymore.**

 **Til, next time bitches!**


	25. Chapter 25: Auto-Da-Fé I

**Wassuuup!**

 **Chapter 25: Auto-Da-Fé** **I**

"What the hell is this? What have you done to me?"

"Not much." Was Ares' flippant answer. "Really! Those chains are reinforced and can hold up an aircraft carrier, but they're still not a match for you. The reason you can't use your fire is because of me! Basically, I suppressed your powers at the conceptual level. Bet sis didn't tell you we could do that, huh?"

 **He's hiding something. What he just said was true but there's something important that he's omitting.**

"You're not strong enough to block me out completely." Issei growled at him. Just to prove his point, he attempted to summon fire again, the hottest he could muster, and he didn't stop like last time. There, he saw it, the smile became slightly strained, and a bead of sweat formed on his forehead. At the same time, the headache he was sporting only grew worse. "So that's it. You're suppressing me, but in exchange, you're weak as shit right now. Is that right?"

"Damn, I keep forgetting you have people in there." War sighed. "Ah, well. Not like it needs to be permanent anyway. And what we're gonna do will put you out of commission for a while, so… Marius! Bring her in!"

At the mention of _her_ Issei immediately thought of Shirone. War must have seen the look on his face, "Oh, if you're worried about your little pet, she's safe. Sorta. I don't plan on being this weak forever, and ya never know when you're gonna need some leverage later, right?"

So that was the plan. They wanted to do something to him, which was so dangerous War was willing to weaken himself so much to restrain him. But for some reason, they couldn't rely on the hostage card before they had done it. War had to know how close the two of them were. So, whatever it was, Issei would be fighting back even if it risked Shirone's life. What would be so terrible that he would do that?

In through the door entered a young girl his age, with the same blond hair and red eyes as Marius. Except where Marius was poised and refined, this girl was dazed and disheveled. She was wearing a crumpled nightgown and nothing else, not even shoes, and one of the straps was hanging off her shoulders. Her eyes were blurred and unfocused, and she was staring into space and mumbling to herself in an excited tone.

"Hyoudou, meet Valerie. She's been real helpful to us these past few months. Unfortunately, that left her… a little touched in the head. But she's still a sweet kid. Valerie? Val, say hello, will ya?"

The girl snapped to attention, her eyes wandering around the room, taking in her surroundings. She flat out ignored everyone else, even the other vampire, but the moment her eyes fell on him, she squealed. "It's you!" With incredible mobility for someone in her state, she bounded over to Issei, her eyes gaining some shine, studying him like he was a rare specimen to be thoroughly examined.

"It's you! It's you! Finally, I get to meet you! Brother Marius told me to find you months ago, and I have been so excited ever since! Are you really him, though? Are you? Are you?! You don't feel like him… You felt different last time. Why do you feel different, you shouldn't feel different!"

Throughout this greeting-turned-rant, Issei could only stare. This girl was...

"Now, now Valerie. Don't be rude. I assure you this is the same man you found. The only reason he feels different is because Lord Ares has temporarily suppressed him."

"Huuu…" the girl pouted. "Okay…"

"You said you had her find me months ago." Issei said in realization. "You've been planning to abduct me even before I awakened my powers?!"

"Well, yes and no." Ares looked somewhat sheepish. "Come on, man, think about it. You're one of the most powerful players in the game here. I can't kill ya and you're pretty much immune to mental interference. Why the hell would I go through so much effort of kidnapping ya unless there's something else about ya?"

"You see, Mr. Hyoudou," Marius took over. "My sister here possesses a remarkable Sacred Gear, named the **[Sephiroth Graal]**. Legend has it, it was made from the Holy Grail, the chalice used by Christ in the Last Supper. The **[Sephiroth Graal]** has the ability to make contact with the 'principle of life'. Now, what does that mean, it is such an abstract description. In simple terms, it is the ability to contact, manipulate what we call the 'soul'.

"Everything that exists is governed by its 'soul'. It is the reason why vampires cannot walk in the sun, why werewolves turn during the full moon, why Devils are hurt by the Heaven System. It is why humans are humans and why Angels are Angels. In short, if one can control the 'soul', one can control the very nature of its existence.

"Of course, Valerie does have limits. Repeated access to a soul can be rather damaging to her, which has led to her mind being degraded over time. Furthermore, she cannot interfere with souls who are much stronger than her. So, you have nothing to worry about in that regard. But she has little trouble in locating someone. Or in this particular case, _something_."

"So, what is it about me that you wanted so much?"

"Not _you_ , ya moron. It's what's in ya!" Ares said gleefully. "I honestly couldn't believe it when I first heard, but Val's never steered us wrong before!"

 _Guys, are they talking about what I think they are?_

 **That… I don't know. I don't know how it is even possible. Surely, we would have sensed it!**

"The look on your face is pretty disbelievin'. Well think of it like this. Your soul is fuckin' huge. An ocean of power. Credit where credit is due, you are a strong son of a bitch. Now imagine you take a nuke, and ya cram in a safe and throw it in the biggest and deepest trench there. Then later on, the ocean is set on fire. Imagine trying to find a locked chest of power in that, right?"

"We asked Valerie to find one of the most powerful god-slaying weapons in existence. The vessel for one of the Two Heavenly Dragons, the Welsh Dragon, Ddraig."

"That's right." War finally let out a laugh, bending over and clutching his stomach. "What are the odds, huh? Close to seven billion people, you lucky son a bitch, and you're the holder for the **[Boosted Gear]**!"

* * *

Rias woke up to the smell of antiseptic. It was a smell that she was quickly coming to dislike. Her eyes flew open and snapped shut immediately afterwards. For too long, her eyes flickered trying to adjust her eyes to the bright lights. _Why are the lights on so early?_

Her eyes snapped open, ignoring the pain. She sat up, and nearly cried out in pain. As it was, she couldn't control the tears that came to her eyes. Looking at her body, she was covered in bandages, with red blotchy skin peeking through. She brought a wrapped right hand up to her face, feeling the cloth on it. She looked around, recognizing the walls of the hospital. Beside her bed, her mother was slumped into a chair. Anyone else would have thought her to be as beautiful as always, but Rias has rarely seen her mother in anything less than an impeccable state. Her hair was slightly frazzled, her outfit was disheveled, and her clothes didn't match. She wasn't wearing make-up, letting Rias see the makings of faint bags and tear streaks under her eyes.

Venelana stirred, and within seconds, her arms were around her daughter, afraid to let her go and afraid to hurt her at the same time, sobbing into her shoulder. Despite herself, Rias couldn't stop the tears herself. "Mother… My Peerage… what happened…?"

For a few seconds, Venelana composed herself, wiping the tears away. "Forgive me, Rias. My emotions got the better of me. Give me a moment, I will inform your father and brother that you are conscious. They will want to speak to you."

"Mother, please." Rias tightened her grip on her mother's hands. "What happened to my Peerage?"

Her mother hesitated, and the awful feeling in her chest only grew. "Akeno is fine, her injuries weren't nearly as bad as yours, I sent her back to the manor to rest a few hours ago. I could barely convince her to leave. Ares' missile exploded less than three feet away from you, giving you severe burns on most of your body. Thankfully, the doctors have healed most of them and there won't be any scarring. As for the rest of your Peerage…" she swallowed. "Kiba, Gasper and Koneko were taken by Ares. Sirzechs and Issei chased them down, but they managed to escape and Issei was abducted as well."

Surprisingly, Rias was not as worried as she thought she would be. The anxiety was still there, but it was far overshadowed by rage. Lifting her bedcovers, she swung her legs out of bed, grimacing at the action. Her mother stared, shocked, before bursting into action, trying to push her back in bed. "What on earth do you think you are doing, young woman?"

"What does it look like, Mother? I'm going to find Kuroka and have her track down her sister. Her **[Senjutsu]** should be able to find Koneko wherever she is, even if she is no longer in the Underworld."

"That is not the point! You are not leaving this hospital room! Sirzechs and Lord Asmodeus have already asked Kuroka to track them. They are coordinating with the other Factions for the search and rescue efforts."

 _The Angels and Fallen Angels are helping as well? That's surprising, but I suppose it shouldn't be. They are all committed to a trade and military alliance._ "That's good. Inform my brother that I will be joining them."

"Are you not listening to me?"

"I am, Mother. But you will not stop me. I am going to ensure my Queen is safe, and afterwards, I am going to retrieve the rest of my Peerage." She shrugged off the hand on her shoulder and with a flash of magic, she changed her clothing to a more comfortable yet functional dress and teleported straight to her bedroom. As the owner of the room, only she and her father, who had control over the house as patriarch, could teleport there directly. She could have privacy there.

Upon arriving, she smiled. "Why did I know you would be here?"

Her Queen didn't bother to open her eyes. She was laying down on the bed, on top of the sheets, her arms held in front of her. "You escaped the hospital faster than I expected. I give it three minutes before your mother figures out where you are and busts down the door."

"I'll bet it's less than two. Which means we need to get moving. Do you know where Brother is?" She appreciated her Queen getting down to business. She knew that the moment her mother kicked her out of the hospital, Akeno was probably doing everything she could in anticipation of her awakening.

"He is in a meeting with the council, along with the other delegates. I believe they are discussing relief efforts and attempts to rescue those who were captured. By the way, you may want to thank her when you see her. She was the one who defended us until reinforcements arrived. Even Riser said a few words. She was quite ferocious, I suspect she was using it to work off her frustration."

"Perfect, at least we know she's enthusiastic. Did you hear anything that suggests she knows where they are?" She walked over to her dresser, rummaging around for something.

"Not in the Underworld. There's somewhere on Earth, but last I heard she was still narrowing it down. There is something blocking her senses, which is quite a feat considering how difficult it is to hide from a Sage."

"Earth, huh? Makes sense, they wouldn't want to stick around after all the hell they raised. Ah, here it is." She held up a small pouch and placed it in her pocket storage dimension. "Well, are you going to lay around all day?"

"Do you think you can convince your brother to let you come along?"

"Believe me, Akeno. I will not let them leave without me. If Kuroka's tracking is not enough, I'm the only one who can find my servant. Besides, I won't be alone in trying to convince him."

"Who- Oh, Riser. You're right, he was literally spitting fire after Karlamine was taken." She jumped off the bed and dusted herself off. "Oh, by the way, you may want to steer clear of Lord Beelzebub."

"Is he that angry about the security breach?"

"Partly. Apparently, they have already determined the cause of the breach. The technical stuff flew right over my head, but the gist of it was that Ares and the Old Satan Faction exploited a brief lapse in the systems. But the main reason he was so angry was because of how they seemingly got ahold of this information. Shortly after the attack, Diodora was found dead in a hotel room in the city. Looks like poison. One of his Peerage members, the new one, is missing. And there is evidence of someone else in the room. Someone who isn't a Devil."

Rias blinked at the information, but she couldn't bring herself to be all that surprised. "So, what are they thinking, Diodora turned traitor, and was killed when he outlived his usefulness? But why take the girl?"

"Lord Azazel had a theory about that. He said that he had never recovered all of the stolen Sacred Gear Extractors."

Her blood froze. **[Forbidden Balor View]** , **[Sword Birth]**. "That girl has a Gear?"

" **[Twilight Healing]**. I was surprised as well, but it was what drew Diodora to her in the first place. The leading theory is that Ares was leading the Old Satan Faction and Diodora by the nose, promising one the destruction of the current government, and the other a high position in the new one. But his end game was to acquire the powerful Sacred Gears all at once. Karlamine and Koneko-chan were just in the way. Furthermore, according to your brother, Issei-kun was also one of the targets. For what reason he doesn't know."

She had heard enough. "If Koneko-chan was just in the way, then she is expendable to Ares. I haven't received any pieces yet, so they are still alive. But that can change very soon. So let's get moving."

She should have known it wouldn't be that easy.

She had successfully evaded her parents and had confronted her brother. In private, of course. Sirzechs may let her get away with a lot, but he still had an image to uphold. That was fortunate, otherwise people would have had to see her yell at the Satan.

"For what possible reason are you barring me from searching for my own Peerage members?!"

"Kuroka has finally managed to figure out where they are, and why it took her so long to find them. She has narrowed it down to a small remote region in Romania."

She knew where he was going with this. "Ares is colluding with the Vampires? Which family?"

"We don't know. And that is exactly why this is a delicate and dangerous situation. Kuroka can only do so much from here, she has to be on-site for more accurate tracking. The atmosphere in Vampire territory makes it difficult to track anything using nature energy. It can be done, but she says that she will be running blind. If we invade the wrong territory, we risk war to the wrong faction for no reason."

Rias had grimaced. She was familiar with the war between the Carmilla and the Tepes factions, so she knew what her brother's plan was. Prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that one side was guilty, then 'request' aid from the other side. The offending clan would be destroyed by the resulting coalition.

"Brother, I realize that we should exercise caution, but that will take too much time. You know what Ares is planning to do them, and he could be doing it right now! And if Kuroka will have difficulties finding them, that is all the more reason to bring me! I can perform **[Castling]** to bypass all wards and protections and instantly teleport back with an unused Piece!"

"And what if Ares has prepared countermeasures for such a thing? Do you not think that Diodora could have told him about the Evil Piece System and its many functions? He has already shown to be knowledgeable about our technology, exploiting flaws we barely knew about. You are far too valuable to let you participate in such a risky operation with so many unknowns."

So that led her here, to someone she never thought she would go to for help.

She and Akeno entered the room, where there were several young women bandaged up and unconscious on the beds. One of them was the Bomb Queen, Yubelluna. Riser was standing over his servant, looking both somber and angry at her state. He barely looked up upon hearing her enter the room and approach. "Judging by your expression, your brother told you exactly what he told me."

"Correct."

"Color me surprised. I wasn't really shocked when I was denied, I have no tracking abilities, and I can't switch with my Knight like you can. But you are friends with that Stray, are you not? I would have thought you would be granted leave."

"You thought wrong. Honestly, I can't find fault with my brother's reasoning, but the frustration is making it difficult to think logically."

"It seems we've finally found some common ground." Riser let out a mirthless chuckle. "And? I'm assuming you didn't come here just to express your sympathies. What are you planning?"

"My plan was shot down the moment my brother decided to be rational. This is strictly improvisation."

"Probably better than anything I've come up with. Let's hear it."

"The higher-ups can't take any overt actions because of the Vampire Clan Wars in Romania. The Angels and the Grigori are willing to help, but they have similar problems. They haven't had dealings with the Vampires like we have, which is why it is important for them to stay neutral until _we_ decide to make a move."

"That makes sense. We all want to avoid making any more enemies than we have to."

"Right. So, our only option is to look outside the Factions."

Well, no-one ever said Riser was an idiot. "Ophis." He spoke only one word, but the _are you out of your mind?_ was well implied. Ophis and her ilk had been the wild cards of the Gathering. Ophis herself was barely seen but Vali and Kuroka hadn't really been approached by anyone except the Satans and their direct underlings.

"I realize it is a risk."

"An understatement if I ever heard one. You must be desperate if you're willing to go that far." He scoffed. "What does that say about me that I'm considering it?"

"Hear me out. I don't know the specifics, but I do know that Issei and Ophis have some sort of agreement of mutual aid. We may not be able to convince her to personally take action, nobody even knows where she is right now, but Vali and his subordinates would be easier to convince. Vali wouldn't say no to a chance to battle Ares, and Kuroka would search for Koneko anyway. Furthermore, Kuroka has a method of transportation that is nigh undetectable."

"Now what are you crazy kids up to?"

Rias and Riser looked around in alarm, their servants in high alert as well. Recognizing the girlish voice, Rias slowly raised her head and saw the youthful mage above them, floating upside-down, looking far too amused than what was warranted for the situation. "Heya!"

"Who are you and how did you get here?" Riser growled, a flame already in his palm.

"Calm down, Riser. This is Minnie. She is a friend of Issei, a mage from the same coven." She eyed the mage warily. "But he's right. This is a private room; how did you get in here?"

"Not important." The girl daintily hovered to their level. "You might want to know that the cat-girl is already preparing to go to Romania, with the halfling right behind her. So, if you want to ask for their help, you're missing an opportunity."

"Issei is your ally." Said Rias. "Why are you so relaxed? You're just as powerful of he is, if not more. Why are you not taking action?"

The questions just made her snicker. "Let me tell you something girl, Onii-chan has an exactly 0% chance of dying because of this. There is no reason to worry about him."

"Then why are you here? You don't care about us, and it's clear that you have no concern for Issei either. You just do whatever you want to amuse yourself." Rias snarked.

"Well, yes. But the more the merrier, right? Your servants are all still alive, but that will change in about… oh, half an hour?"

That had both of them on their feet. "How could you possibly know any of this?"

"If you are lying to us…" Riser let the threat hang in the air.

"What reason would I have to lie to any of you? To answer your question, let's just say the Vampires are… let's just say we have some things in common and leave it at that! The point is, as things are, upcoming events are becoming too… predictable. The big-shots are playing it safe, so us youngsters have to keep things interesting!

"Those bloodsuckers have been at this glorified tug-of-war for centuries, but now things are starting liven up for them! Hmm… maybe that's a poor choice of words. Anyway, I'm willing to send you guys straight to the Tepes territory. Go in, raise some hell, literally, get your servants and maybe spark an all-out conflict! Sound good?"

Nobody spoke for a few moments. "You're insane." Said Akeno. "You'd drop us into a potentially hostile territory with no reason to be there and they will have every reason to kill us. All because things are going too slowly for you?"

"Don't get so prissy, they're killing each other by the dozen already. At least now, you get to pick a side, instead of the other way around! I've lived through enough governments to know that by the time your leaders are done scratching their heads, your servants' Sacred Gears will be spirited away, and those who don't have one will be sucked dry. So what freakin' choice do you have?" she spoke as if talking to children, which infuriated all of them. But not as much as knowing that everything she said was true.

"And as for a _valid_ reason, isn't Vladi one of the major families of the Tepes faction?"

* * *

The shaking woke her up.

Shirone's fist lashed out before she could register the action or even open her eyes, but the punch hit nothing but air. A hand wrapped around her wrist before she could pull it back. "Toujou! It is I, Karlamine! Wake up!" A light slap snapped her out of her sleepy haze.

The two Devils were up and about, examining the stone room in which they were imprisoned. They hadn't been restrained, simply set down on the hard floor. There were no windows, and there couldn't find a door. It was most likely hidden by magic because they couldn't find a continuous seam in the door. They weren't even sure if this room allowed for proper ventilation. But they had some time before they had to worry about that.

Getting an idea, Shirone asked Karlamine to stay still and quiet. After some reassurance that she knew what she was doing, Shirone sat down and began her search.

Almost immediately, she determined that her partner was nearby, within a kilometer at most. But the direction was frustratingly unclear. Kiba and Gasper were also hidden from her senses. It was likely their magical contract that allowed her to detect Issei. The next thing she found was the array of seals that most likely controlled the entrance of this cell. A cursory glance told her that she had enough power to break them through brute force. She would be slightly winded, but she would recover in short time. However, there was also a spell that was connected outwards. Most likely an alarm of some sort, so if they escaped, it would be known immediately.

The other thing that was maddening her was how fuzzy her senses were. Other than Issei, she could see nothing more than fifty meters from her. It was difficult to compare it to actual vision, but it was comparable to a fog distorting her vision, rather than darkness obscuring it.

"So, what you are saying is, once we exit this room, we are running blind?" Karlamine said once Shirone reported her findings. "That's fantastic." She sighed, trying to calm her nerves. "Say, why are we here?"

"What?"

"I mean… Why bother taking us prisoner? And why the two of us? Where are your other Peerage members, and that flame-mage? I doubt Ares did it out of mercy, and he must know that Lady Gremory will stop at nothing to get you back."

"There must be something they want from the others. Maybe we're hostages. They're using us to control them for something."

"I had considered the possibility. But…" she fidgeted nervously. "But… they would only need one. And that one would most likely be you."

Shirone opened her mouth to protest but couldn't find a flaw in that logic. To Kiba, Gasper and especially Issei, she was far more important. If anything, since their masters were at odds, it would make sense for Karlamine to be considered irrelevant and disposable. But that line of thinking led to something more ominous.

 _If we're not hostages, then why are we still alive?_

"Alright, perhaps it will not do either of us much good to really think about it. Let us just focus on getting out. Your sister, she is a Sage as well, yes? Can you use that, **[Senjutsu]** to find her? Or vice versa?"

"First thing I tried." She shook her head. "There's something about this place that is hampering natural energy. My sister is better than I am at the non-combat stuff, so she might be able to detect traces I can't, but it would be a one-way thing. I can't reach out to her or Issei like this. It's like the atmosphere is dead and sucking up-"

"What? You just realized something, what is it and is it useful?"

How the hell did she not notice this before? This feeling was familiar to her, she trained with someone who emanated this feeling almost every day. An aura of listlessness and stagnation that is scorned nature, the bane of the living itself.

"I think I know where we are. And why they wanted us alive."

The two of them were in the heart of Vampire territory.

* * *

Kiba awoke to screaming.

His eyes were wide open and alert in an instant. On reflex he jerked forwards, reaching for a sword that had yet to be created. But he could barely flex his muscles. Thick chains were wrapped around his limbs, so tightly that the blood flow was severely restricted.

His attention was brought to the sides of the room where he saw Issei Hyoudou who was similarly chained to a familiar black cross. Off to the side, Gasper was trapped as well, still unconscious, held up by the chains. _An Extractor?! Those must have been the ones stolen from the Grigori. But Issei doesn't have a Sacred Gear?_

He shook his head. That wasn't important right now. While he wasn't sure _why_ their captors were using the Extractor on Issei, he did know that the act of extracting a Sacred Gear was 100% lethal. He needed to break out of here before they finished. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't manifest a single sword. He could feel **[Sword Birth]** , the demonic energy just waiting to be manifested, but there was a block on the power that prevented it from materialization. _This doesn't make sense! These Extractors aren't equipped with suppressors! Is it even possible to suppress a Sacred Gear?_

Then he realized the problem. The Extractor was a _cross._ Even if it wasn't properly sanctified, it would weaken him significantly. That wasn't even taking into account the fact that **[Sword Birth]** was a Sacred Gear based on demonic energy. As for Gasper, he was a Devil, with traces of his Dhampir heritage. This was the worst possible situation for them.

He was getting desperate. He tried brute force, which was admittedly a weak point of his, but even a Low-Class Knight should have the raw physical capabilities to break apart steel chains. He struggled as much as he could, but he couldn't build any momentum. He doubted it would have made a difference.

The screaming stopped.

In panic, he ceased his efforts and focused all his attention on Issei. The mage was still, and a deep red light filled the room. Floating in front of Issei's bare chest was a crimson gauntlet with a dark green orb embedded in the back.

He couldn't breathe. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the gauntlet. The energy it emitted was all-encompassing. It was an ocean of lava pressing down on him. He wanted to run away, to curl up into as small a ball as possible, make a cage of swords to keep whatever the hell that gauntlet was _out_. He knew that it was his instinct. As a Devil, he simply knew when something was far above him in terms of power. But it was different from what he felt from facing Ares. Back then, he could push it down and focus on combat.

Now, the feeling was more… primal. And his instincts could only respond in kind.

He barely caught Ares' next words. "It's as impressive as I thought it would be. Nice job, Marius."

The god slowly walked forward and gently plucked the gauntlet out of the air. Almost immediately, the light and energy ceased, and he could breathe again.

"Now _this_ is a weapon."

"It truly is impressive. But I would advise caution. You are not human after all. Much work and research are still needed to utilize it in its current form."

"Still, it's pretty damn impressive. Imagine what a powerhouse he'd be if he had managed to awaken it."

"Sacred Gears often manifest themselves in times of great crisis and stress, responding to the wielder's emotions in times of great danger. Given his endless regenerative abilities and overwhelming natural strength, it is unlikely he would have ever needed to rely on it."

"Good point. Should we move on to the next one?"

"Yes, let's."

They were talking about him. He was next. They wanted **[Sword Birth]**. They were going to kill him.

"Fantastic. After this, you can get the Dhampir and I'll be on my way."

"Leaving so soon?"

"Yeah. I don't really want to be nearby when Hyoudou wakes up. Ya may wanna dump him in the ocean or something before he does. Once I'm gone, there's not gonna be anythin' keeping him down and he's gonna be freakin' terrifyin'. You guys don't like fire, right?"

"I'll take that under advisement."

 _Issei was alive? How? The Extractor has a 100% mortality rate!_ Then he remembered something. _His healing powers. If that's not his Sacred Gear, then he must be using that to survive. Ares is suppressing his power to keep him unconscious somehow! If that's the case…_

Then there was no hope. He would readily admit that Issei was probably the most powerful amongst the three of them. If his magic was disabled, then he could see no way to get out of this.

"This should only take a fraction of the time needed to extract the **[Boosted Gear]**. The subject has integrated the Sacred Gear more, but he is far weaker than Hyoudou-" He paused abruptly, staring blankly into empty space, his eyes returning to focus a second later. "We're going to have company. The alarms in the dungeons have been set off. And several of my bats have been destroyed before they could get a glimpse of the assailant."

"Probably the prisoners. I told ya they're more trouble than they're worth. Do you need to go deal with it?"

"I doubt they will be able to get past the guards."

"Hey man, you shouldn't underestimate them. One of 'em's a Sage, ya know? They're a tricky bunch to deal with."

"Then let us be prudent and complete the procedure as quickly as possible."

The pain was impossibly intense. A hand of fire was clawing its way through his chest. It pushed through, searching, grasping, probing. The hand closed around his spine, and every nerve in his body screamed in agony as the grip became tighter and tighter. How did Issei survive this? He could tell that the… _procedure_ wasn't even over yet, and he thought he would die from the pain alone. He should have gone in shock by now, sending him into the mercy of unconsciousness, but he hadn't. It wasn't his body under attack, his soul was being ravaged as well, and as long as that existed, the pain would persist.

Then the hand began to _pull_.

* * *

Blindness. Confusion. Fear. Hope. Curiosity.

"Haa… Kiba, what have you gotten yourself into?"

 _What is this? What's happening? Why was that voice… so familiar?_

"Have you already forgotten us? After all that we went through?"

 _Who are you? How do you know me? Where am I?_

A memory. Children. Teenagers. Dressed in rags. Exhausted and injured. Dying. A nightmare.

Understanding. Acceptance.

 _I see. So this is death. They've taken_ _ **[Sword Birth]**_ _and killed me. I've failed._

Sadness. Relief. Joy.

 _I've missed you all. I'm so sorry I've failed you. I tried my best, I swore that you would get justice._

"Not yet, Kiba. We didn't push you forward to avenge us. And we are as happy as you are to meet again. But this is not the time. This promise I make to you, we will see each other again."

 _No… Don't go! Please… I can't…_

"You can. You must. Save yourself."

* * *

" **[Blade Blacksmith]** "

Marius' skin burned and blistered like paper. The brilliant white light scorched his exposed skin relentlessly and even his clothing began to smoke.

Gleaming blades burst through the chains, shattering them like glass, and they didn't stop there. They flew in various directions but not aimlessly. Kiba knew exactly where they needed to go. Four swords embedded themselves into the ground around the Vampire. Almost immediately they shined, producing a beam of light inwards forming a cross with Marius within. The Vampire screamed in agony, his body bursting apart like a balloon, breaking into a swarm of bats. The bats flew towards him, but a glittering sword with a cross on the hilt in Kiba's hand kept him at bay.

The Knight had to be careful here. Issei would be fine but firing random Holy Swords all over the place could hurt Gasper, especially since he wasn't sure how much control he had over this new ability. Gasper may be unharmed by sunlight, but the holy aspects of these swords could still harm him.

He ignored the fact that he should be hurting himself at this point, but there was no point worrying about that now. He had an advantage and he would push it as far as he could. He rushed towards Ares, which would have normally been suicide, but he knew that the God of War had purposefully weakened himself to suppress Issei, which couldn't be an easy feat.

Ares summoned one simple longsword to meet him in battle. He skillfully blocked Kiba but was forced on the defensive. Without his godly strength, he was barely above the physical capabilities of an athletic human. His skill, cultivated through thousands of years of countless battles, was all that was keeping his head on shoulders. But all the skill in the world could not bridge the gap between the physiques of a human and a Devil. Everything from reaction time, to stamina was severely affected, and it was only a matter of time before his skill couldn't keep up with his body.

Soon, Ares couldn't defend himself quickly enough, and Kiba's sword slipped through his guard and into his shoulder. The blade severed the god's right arm just above the elbow. There was no bleeding, and no pain, because Ares was far too used to being wounded to be affected by that. But a missing limb would not help his case.

With only one arm, Ares was just easy meat. Every exchange left him with more and more damage, deep cuts, broken bones, and growing exhaustion. Soon. His patience was running thin.

"Ah, fuck this!"

In a red flash, Ares was healed, his arm returned in pristine condition, just like the rest of his body, and the single-edged blade morphed into a massive two-meter claymore. The heavy weapon crashed into him with the force of a landslide, launching him into the wall.

But before Ares could even step one foot to finish Kiba off, a familiar white fire washed over the entire room. Ares surrounded himself with red energy, but Marius was forced to flee, melting into mist out of the room. Kiba and Gasper were left untouched, but nothing else was.

The Sacred Gear Extractors were incinerated. No, that wasn't right. They weren't burned, or melted, or vaporized. They were completely annihilated and consumed. When the flames faded, Gasper was left on the floor, and a red shell was left in the middle of the room, without a single scorch mark. Kiba could only watch as Issei crashed into the shell, breaking through it and grabbing Ares by the face.

Kiba could only watch as two of them broke through the stone wall, beginning battle in the fog and snow.

"…Hey. Mr. Swordsman?"

The gentle, female voice alarmed him far more than the elder Vampire's voice would have. He whirled around, sword in hand, coming face-to-face with a girl who couldn't have been a older than him. A girl with tangled blond hair and unfocused eyes, tightly grasping a small, scratched cup to her chest.

Kiba had been through a lot in the past few minutes, but this seemingly harmless girl frightened him far more than what was reasonable. There shouldn't be any reason to fear from a girl who looked like she just rolled out of bed. But unassuming or not, somehow, Kiba didn't sense her approach him until she spoke. And she somehow survived against Issei's raging flames.

"Did you talk with your friends?"

"…What?"

"You looked really lonely, and your friends wanted to talk to you! Are you feeling better?"

Was this girl saying… "You were the one, you showed that to me? That place?"

"Uh-huh!" She smiled again. It still looked unnatural on her doll-like face, but it seemed sincere. But her expression turned contemplative when she saw Kiba's troubled face. "Oh… I shouldn't have done that, should I?" She bowed her head, hiding her face with her hair and her entire body began to shake. "That was an invasion of privacy, wasn't it? I should have just left it alone. I should have just minded my own business. Brother Marius said I should just be a good girl and be quiet… I'm sorry for being so nosy… I'm so sorry!"

She was outright sobbing now, and Kiba could only stand there, slowly backing away. He had absolutely no idea how to react to this. The bad feeling in his chest only grew worse when the small goblet in her hands started to glow again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, so, so sorry, **Imsorryimsorryimsorry**!

 _"I'll make sure to fix it."_

He felt like drowning. The sword in his hand broke apart and disappeared into dust. The pressure threatened to collapse his lungs, his limbs felt like lead, his entire body was wrapped in chains again, dragging his body into the ground. He couldn't move, it took every effort of his to stay upright. He had to walk forwards, he had to stop this girl. That cup, that's what she was using to do this to him, he was sure. If he could take it off of her, if he could stop her-

Purple flashed and the ocean on his shoulders disappeared just as quickly as it crashed onto him. He sagged to his knees, getting oxygen back into his lungs, and he looked up at his savior.

Gasper stood behind the girl's crumpled form, his fist outstretched, looking paler than he had ever seen him. "Gasper… thanks for that… I don't think I could have stopped her… Gasper? Are you alright. She didn't get you too, did she? Gasper?"

He didn't get an answer. The Dhampir was just staring down, and Kiba recognized the expression. It was the face Gasper made when he as trying not to cry. "Gasper, what's wrong?"

"…S-She's… I-I k-know her… She's… She was my best friend."

* * *

 **So, yeah. That happened. Blade Blacksmith Ex Machina. Well, then again, all Sacred Gears are from God, so...**

 **Believe it or not, I hadn't planned on this one being released this soon. You may have heard, but the UK and Ireland got hit with a massive snowstorm a week ago. The country literally froze, university closed, and I wrote the bulk of this chapter. The rest of the week was just clean-up and procrastination.**

 **I always wanted to bring the Boosted Gear into the story, and this was the easiest option. I hinted at it from the first chapter, for fuck's sake. You can't have DxD without one of the biggest Ds! ... That sounded wittier in my head, but I'll type it up anyway. Just to clarify, Issei WILL NOT wield the Boosted Gear. Ever. Who will? That's anyone's guess.**

 **I may be inaccurately portraying Valerie's brand of crazy, but I didn't really get enough of it from the light novels before she was cured. I can only imagine how much fucking with a soul would do screw up your mind.**

 **Please know that I will do everything I can over the next chapter or two to make vampires the menacing and terrifying creatures of the night that they should be. Except for Gasper. I can never really be scared of Gasper.**

 **Until next time!**


	26. Chapter 26: Auto-Da-Fé II

**DxD is not mine whatsoever.**

 **Chapter 25:** **Auto-Da-Fé** **II**

Shirone and Karlamine have been hearing explosions for a while now, but they didn't dare stop running. As expected, knocking down one of the cell walls immediately brought a lot of attention to them. They managed to take down the nearby guards easily enough, even seizing a short sword for Karlamine. The two of them were doing pretty well in evading recapture. Shirone maintained a constant sense of the surroundings, allowing them to detect guards and disable familiars with Karlamine's speed.

Even with Shirone's **[Senjutsu]** , it was difficult to navigate the dungeon because they were in almost total darkness. They dared not conjure light, but even with their enhanced Devil sight, the pitch-black halls still slowed them down considerably. The guards themselves were no threat at all. The biggest worry was that they would alarm others, which was why they were taken down as quickly and efficiently as possible. The two of them were clearly being underestimated.

"Stop!" The two of them immediately ceased and pressed themselves into the cold stone walls.

"What is it? Is there someone up ahead?"

"Yes. It's the others. There are two people I don't recognize. One of them is more powerful than we are. I don't think the other one is a threat."

"Are they in the middle of combat?"

"Think so. I can't tell specifics. Issei is a bit further away, and he's with… He's with Ares!"

The Knight gulped down the fear upon hearing that name. "… Your contractor, is he a match for him?"

Shirone thought about that, about the power Issei hid within him, and answered with confidence. "Definitely."

"Good." Said Karlamine, sounding like she was doing her best to believe it. "Then we can focus our efforts on the others. We will have to be quick. The longer we spend fighting, the more likely it will be that other Vampires will arrive."

They resumed their movement, running faster towards their allies.

"Just around the corner!" Shirone didn't have to say it. Each step they took in the right direction made that stagnant aura grow stronger to the point that Karlamine could physically feel it herself. The fog that was hindering Shirone's senses became almost suffocating. The feeling couldn't be ignored for much longer.

"Follow my lead!"

Shirone ran ahead, her fist cocked back, and her eyes closed. A mental map was being built in her head. The small form of Gasper was in the center of the circular room, the weak, unknown presence laying by his feet. Kiba was moving constantly, undoubtedly in the middle of combat. Spinning on her heel, she rounded the corner, and unleashed a blast of energy towards the unknown figure before even laying an eye on them.

The monstrous gust of wind blew the opponent to the other side of the room, but they were unfazed, turning into an amorphous mass in mid-air. Opening her eyes, she saw a mass of fog move to the other side of the room, towards Gasper and the other unknown. Judging by raw power levels alone, she couldn't be sure that Gasper could freeze the man, so she let loose more blasts to keep him away, giving her enough time to get in front of him.

She finally got a good look at the girl he was crouched over and noticed something of about her. "That girl… she's not a Vampire?" The smell was wrong. Weaker, and too similar to Gasper's.

He tearfully shook his head. "She's a friend! Marius… he's trying to take her back. Koneko-chan… she's!"

"I got it." Honestly, she didn't get it. But it's been a while since she saw Gasper genuinely tearful about something, and her instincts told her that he wouldn't be able to leave this alone. Ah, well. This Vampire was looking for a fight, anyway. That's when she noticed something else that's new. "When did Kiba get a holy Sword? He hates those."

"I have no idea. But it doesn't look like it's hurting him."

"It'll hurt me. Whatever, I'll deal with it. Stay here." Coating herself in the wispy white aura, she charged towards the mass of fog, twisting around Kiba and Karlamine's blades.

The Vampire, which she presumed to be the one named Marius, expanded into a wall of fog that charged towards them. Undeterred by the lack of vision, she kept running, but was completely surprised when she failed to plunge into the fog, instead crashing into a surface akin to a steel wall. She dug her heels in, fighting the momentum of the barrier of fog with little success. Deciding to respond to brute force in the same way, she put as much power as she could muster and punched the barrier. The force was enough to make a shockwave, but barely enough to halt the advance. Bracing herself on one foot, she swung a reinforced leg, but before it could connect, the barrier became intangible once more, and her foot met nothing but air.

Following a gut feeling, she leapt to the side, evading the pikes of shadow that erupted underneath her feet. Two grunts either side of her told her that her comrades were not as successful. The Nekoshou took a moment to curse the fact that they have barely trained Gasper in his inherent Vampire abilities, instead focusing on his Gear. They, of course, knew the basic capabilities possessed by all Vampires, but that was different to actually facing it in combat.

"You two alright?"

"Yeah!"

"Just a minor wound!"

They needed to get rid of this fog if they were going to fight effectively, and it seems Kiba got the idea. High winds whipped around them, dispelling the fog and restoring visibility in the room. Kiba was revealed to be standing in the room, a Demonic sword in his left hand generating the tornado, a holy Sword in his right. "Get outside!"

Karlamine took the hint, and Shirone rushed to Gasper, and scooped up the girl over her shoulder before following her out the hole in the wall. They had barely made it through before the room behind them erupted in light. It was bright enough to make their eyes water and their skin itch. By the sounds of it, Marius got the full brunt of it.

The second Shirone stepped outside the castle walls, her senses were instantly magnified. The Vampires' suffocating presence was still there but being closer to nature aided her in pushing it aside. Even though that 'nature' was as depleted as this pitiful looking forest.

They pounded through the snow, and soon Kiba caught up to them with ease. "I think I irritated him, but he won't be following us. Not through that hole, anyway. Let's get going!" He summoned a teleportation circle, quickly followed by Shirone and Karlamine, but they were stopped by one of their own.

"Wait! We can't leave yet! Valerie can't use our transportation circle!"

"So, what? She is one of them! Leave her!" Karlamine said, genuinely perplexed.

"I can't just leave her! They're manipulating her, they have to be! Kiba, you saw her. There's no way she would want to hurt anyone!"

"Maybe not, but you saw how unstable she was- "

"We can help her! She trusts me, I know we could cure her!"

"Gasper, we're in enemy territory here. We can't afford to pick up stragglers, we have to escape, _now_!"

"West!" Gasper shouted. "Go west! The guards barely look there because there's a stream less than a mile from here!" Vampires couldn't walk across running water. Obviously, they could just fly over it, but they still had an instinctive aversion. It won't keep them away forever, but it was a start.

"What about the mage?" asked Karlamine.

The question was left unanswered as they were all forced to avert their eyes from the blinding light above them.

"Yeah… I don't think we have to worry about him."

* * *

For the first time since he had awakened his powers, Issei could safely say that he was on a rampage.

Before this, any fights that he had taken part in were in populated areas or near allies, so he had to watch himself in case they were caught in the flames. But now, his only allies were on the ground, and he was in hostile territory and there wasn't a civilian in sight. A trickle of sensation in his mind told him of Shirone's condition and location, and he had no doubt that they could handle themselves.

And he was really pissed off.

A delicate balance had been achieved in this battle, where Issei did not allow War to get close to him, but he did not allow him to get too far away. Issei knew that War would literally butcher him in close quarters combat, but he had absolutely no intention of letting the Horseman escape, not even through the conceptual plane. Issei was barely moving from his one spot, surrounding himself in raging fire, a fortress in the sky.

 **[Boosted Gear]** was one of the thirteen Longinus, the weapons with the capability to kill a god. An artifact with that kind of power… he couldn't even begin to imagine what he would do with that kind of power. What confused him though was why War kept wearing the crimson gauntlet instead of storing it away. It was big, bulky and had to be a nuisance to him, and Marius said that he couldn't use it in its current form, so why not just store it in a pocket dimension to keep both of his hands free?

 **Perhaps he is unable to?** Seraphina suggested. **There are limitations to what can be kept in a personal dimension. Maybe the properties of the** _ **[Boosted Gear]**_ **prevents it from being stored?**

 _If that's the case it will make it easier for us to take it away from him. Still gonna be a bitch._

It only took a few exchanges to realize that he wasn't getting anywhere.

War summoned weapons, everything from swords and spears, to machine guns and nukes, each one of them was just as deadly and destructive as the last. In contrast, Issei's attacks lacked variety, but the power behind them was undeniable. They were over ten miles above the ground, but already the earth was littered with craters and the haunted forest had been incinerated. The Tepes Castle had not been unscathed either. Castle soldiers had attempted to block or deflect stray attacks, with limited success. A few of the towers had collapsed, and the walls were scorched and blackened. Issei paid them little mind.

The two were at a stalemate, but that wouldn't last forever. Technically, they both had near-endless stamina, but this opponent was superior to him in experience. Issei would make a mistake and undoubtedly lose a mental battle. He couldn't suppress and capture War like he did to him, he didn't even know where to start, and that wasn't his objective anyway.

 _I can't keep this up forever. I need to get that Gear._

 **Why?**

 _What?! What do you mean why? Nick, you_ want _to give this guy a god-slaying weapon?_

 **Absolutely not** **! But while we can't allow War to have that weapon, that does not mean that** _ **you**_ **need to have it, correct?**

 _I…_ He didn't need it. It wasn't arrogance to say that he was strong enough on his own. And frankly, keeping the **[Boosted Gear]** in his possession would be far more trouble than he was willing to deal with, and it wasn't as if there was anyone he trusted enough to give it to. Okay, that wasn't strictly true, there people he could trust now, but they weren't strong enough to defend their possession of it on their own, which defeats the purpose.

 _Alright. Let's switch gears._

The flames intensified, hotter and brighter. He didn't move from his stationary position, not yet. If War noticed too overt changes in his behavior, he could invest all of his efforts to retreat, and if that happens he wasn't sure if he could stop him. As it was, War only grinned upon sensing the strengthened flames, most likely believing that Issei was getting desperate.

Keep things simple. That was the principle that governed the way he fought. Strategy wasn't his thing, and sorting through the archive of memories wasn't as fast or efficient as one would initially believe. He didn't have the know-how to lead the Horseman into some elaborate scheme, and War would most likely see right through it, anyway. So instead of luring him somewhere, he just won't leave him anywhere else to go.

Before Ares could notice it sphere of white fire with a diameter of a hundred meters encapsulated them both. No exit in any direction. And the flames kept on coming. Issei didn't even attempt to put any thought of where those flames went, just focused on keeping them going and keeping them enraged.

War noticed of course. His first attempt was to blast the walls with explosives, but at that point, they were so thick and intense that they were consumed, or the energy was dispersed in such a way that the walls never made an opening. Both had lost sight of the outside world. Fire spread through the space inside like an hourglass. Idly, Issei remembered Mathers' sand prison.

After failing to break the prison, War decided to attack the prison guard. He didn't get very far. Fire was whipping in all directions, making him zigzag out of his way. While it was true that he wouldn't feel physical pain, if Issei destroyed his physical body, he would completely lose the **[Boosted Gear]**. And that was the only available outcome if this sphere was fully engulfed in flames. He would still be here, conscious of the world, but completely intangible, any attempt to materialize would be incinerated as soon as it began.

A brief, but potent pulse of power temporarily dispersed the flames in his immediate vicinity. Simultaneously, a red flash had him enclosed him in a sleek, and strangely shaped aircraft. This aircraft did not accelerate using fuel and was not bound by the conventional laws of aerodynamics. The power of a conceptual being was enough to override such physical limitations. As fast as it was conceived, the jet had rammed into Issei's mid-section, and had unleashed a barrage of weapons that could annihilate a city.

Normally, that would have been it. Just the impact alone would have blown Issei to smithereens and the weapons could only ensure that his regeneration would be stalled. At least enough to create an opening for escape. But War neglected the fact that these weren't just conjured flames from a spell or a mythical creature. He was Fire.

The jet burned into nothingness. War growled, prepared to unleash his entire power, but a hand appeared over his own.

"This doesn't belong to you."

The crimson gauntlet burned.

The green gem shattered.

 **"** **▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▃▃▃▃▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄"**

* * *

The black, amorphous shadow spat out several figures onto the snow. Rias, Akeno, Riser, Vali, Kuroka tumbled into the snow, before immediately rolling into battle stances, thoroughly checking their surroundings for enemies.

"Wow, are you guys keyed up." Of course, the beautiful girl hovering lazily above them was completely unconcerned. She tilted her head up to look at the sphere of fire, a white sun above the castle. "Onii-chan seems to be having fun." She chirped, just as the sphere flared, and sent a fireball to the ground which exploded nearby, forcing them to take cover behind several barriers.

"That's Issei?" Rias muttered in awe. "I never he held so much power."

 **"** **▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▃▃▃▃▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄"**

` They felt the roar before they heard it. It rampaged across their skin and pierced their ears. Even behind the barrier, Rias couldn't help but hug her arms over herself by sheer instinct. All around her everyone was doing the same. The surrounding trees were flattened, the compromised castle walls were reduced to rubble. Several vampires fell from the sky, bleeding from the ears. But that was only the beginning.

"Impossible." Vali breathed out.

The sun above their heads became a supernova, raining down on the land. Vali unleashed **[Divine Dividing]** , absorbing and deflecting the flares that came their way. Soon enough, the smoke cleared and gave them a sight that chilled them to the bone. Except for Vali. He couldn't stop laughing.

By appearance alone, it was like a specter, appearing in the corner of one's eye, but becoming nigh transparent when looking at it head on. A massive ghost as tall as a skyscraper. It took the shape of a Western Dragon, quadrupedal with wings as wide as its body was long. Sharp spikes of crimson and gold were dotted across its skin. Deep, emerald eyes glared down at the entire world, eyes that had the overwhelming power to back up such superiority.

By rights, it shouldn't be so intimidating. It was like an illusion, a hologram, a lightshow that could be dispelled if one ran straight through it. But at the same time, it just _wasn't_. At that moment of time, it carried a larger presence than anyone else in the area, in the country, even the entire planet. With no form or substance, its sheer willpower possessed enough strength to cow them all.

The Welsh Dragon had been reborn.

For a few seconds, not a single soul moved. White fire danced.

Then the dragon roared.

" **▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▃▃▃▃▄▄▄▄▄"**

One huge wingbeat, a thunderbolt with no lightning, and the specter was mobile. Its clawed arm lashed out, impacting against something in midair, sending it crashing to the ground. The next wingbeat had the dragon swooping down to the ground. His maw opened, and flames that looked more like a laser razed the earth. Most of the Vampires were wise enough to stay out of its way

" **[I, who shall awaken]"**

"Vali-kun, don't!" Kuroka cried.

But Vali Lucifer was well beyond listening to any of them. It was unclear whether he knew what he was doing, whether or not he was acting on pure, bestial instinct. Perhaps it was the **[Divine Dividing]** that was driving him to such an extreme so quickly. In the end, it didn't really matter.

" **[Am he Heavenly Dragon who took the principles of supremacy from God]"**

" **[I envy the infinite, and I pursue the dream]"**

It has always been this way. One dragon relentlessly mocks those with power, and the other tirelessly chases after them. Inevitably, the two shall clash, in any timeline, in any form. It was the moment they lived for, the cause they died for.

" **[I shall become the White Dragon of Supremacy]"**

" **[And I shall take you to the limits of white paradise]"**

An eye for an eye. A dragon for a dragon.

" **[Juggernaut Drive!]"**

The Vanishing Dragon had been unleashed.

With pure speed, Vali disappeared to meet the Crimson Dragon. The ensuing shockwave caused more of the castle to collapse and dispersed the clouds for a brief instant, letting the winter sun through, before the eternal fog reasserted itself. In an impossible image, Ddraig immediately halted in place, staring down the foe that was a thousandth of his size, but his equal in strength. " **We meet again, Albion.** "

Vali didn't say a damn thing. His prodigious supply of energy was enough for him to fuel the **[Balance Breaker]** for a month, a power that was so great that it threatened to tip the balance of power in the world. Despite this, the **[Juggernaut Drive]** was several orders of magnitude greater, in difficulty and energy consumption. He could only sustain it for a few minutes before he ran dry and his life force would begin to be drained and madness took over.

By all accounts, he should be attacking with everything he had. But there was something holding him back. Something he noticed when he punched Ddraig with all his might. Something that anyone would deem a reason so insignificant that it may as well not be a reason at all.

Despite being hit with a blow that could topple mountains, from the moment Vali appeared, the Welsh Dragon showed absolutely no hostility towards him or the dragon within him.

A dragon's pride was a fickle thing.

" **[You have freed yourself]** " Albion stated. " **[How is this possible?]** "

" **My previous wielder burned the seal upon my prison. An impressive feat, destroying a lock created by God. But as you can see, freedom did not grant me a new physical body. At least not yet. I will make one in time, but for now I am power held together by will alone. Your current wielder seems to be powerful.** "

" **[The most powerful I have ever met. What a fortuitous situation. I am bound within the strongest White Dragon Emperor. You are free but lack a physical existence. I would judge as being equal in power. And yet… Why do I sense no bloodlust from you? Why do you have no will to battle me? Has your current state dulled your desire for battle?]** "

" **That is wrong Albion. The urge to fight you is still strong in this incorporeal form. But our battle can wait. Now, I have a debt to repay!** "

Ddraig roared once again, his ghostly figure swooping down towards a smoking crater. A red meteor, in a brighter color than Ddraig's scales, flew up to meet him. War crashed into the dragon's long neck, but Ddraig's momentum carried them both forwards. The dragon snatched him out of the air with agility unexpected from a being his size and slammed him into the ground once again.

Rather than being buried into the earth, War used his powers to bounce himself upwards. Explosions littered the sky as the Horseman of War and the Welsh Dragon unleashed their attacks at once.

Vali couldn't care less.

"You… would dismiss me?!"

Truly fickle, indeed.

"I… will… not… be ignored!"

The sky-blue gems across his body glowed with ethereal light, the wings on his back emanating pure energy. The armor on his chest opened up, revealing an orb the size of a fist, so bright that it was almost white.

" **[Longinus Smasher]**!"

The witnesses were instantly blinded. Both Ddraig and War were hit with the monstrous beam of power. The energy enveloped both of them in a radiant light. The ensuing explosion was blinding and deafening, despite the fact that they were all turned away. Rias knew that her eyes should have been burned, her ears should have been imploded. And yet, they were still safe and sound. She felt warmth, but not to the point of discomfort. She knew what this warmth was, and who had caused it.

Issei stood in front of them all, a sentinel standing vigil, his flames blocking them from harm. "Start moving! Ddraig can keep everyone else occupied while we find the others and get the fuck out of here!" he yelled.

Kuroka responded almost immediately. Clapping both hands together, she summoned forth a dozen blue flames, circling her body before the flames then shot off into the forest. "Follow me!"

All of them sped off in pursuit, each one resolved to not allow anything to get in their way. And with so much power in this little group, nothing will.

* * *

They were not having a good time.

After Issei and Ares started their battle, the majority of the vampires focused on damage control. Without even trying, the two entities were inflicting unimaginable amounts of damage to the castle and its surrounding landscape. They could feel the effects from their position, and every now and again, a missile or a fireball came much too close for comfort.

Then the dragon appeared, and it became a hundred times worse.

Actually, _dragons._ Apparently, Vali was here too.

They soon reached the stream that Gasper mentioned and decided to stand their ground. Their reasoning was that any vampire that came after them would have to be flying, which would destroy any element of surprise. It was also much easier to defend themselves from a stable position than in motion. And they did not want to move too far from Issei, who was their strongest player, or the reinforcements that undoubtedly came with Vali. Not to mention the fact that they assumed the vampires wouldn't care about a few escaped prisoners now that their headquarters was being devastated.

That assumption was false.

They had barely crossed the stream when they were beset by three vampires. Or at least, they thought it was three, because one of them came in the form of a swarm of bats. To Gasper's credit, he pushed down his considerable panic and froze them, or perhaps it was his panic that made it possible. Whatever the case, the first wave was easily dispatched, but they were not the last. Not to mention that they were unsure as to the Vampire's abilities.

Kiba swung down the holy blade, but it was blocked by an arm that had been hardened to the durability of steel. The Vampire he was facing had somehow morphed his limbs into various weapons like blades and whips, with varying shapes, hardness and elasticity. It was probably safe to say that this was no mere foot soldier, judging by the skill with which he utilized his abilities and his resistance to the passive holy aura Kiba was emitting.

Before he could swing again, the arm he had struck had transformed into a jelly-like substance. His sword sunk into it and the substance quickly solidified like concrete. The Vampire pulled him in and Kiba released the sword, but not fast enough to fully avoid the sharpened claw heading for his chest. Twisting his body, the claws tore out a gouge in his side. Kiba made to step back, but his legs were grasped in place, and a sharp pain made him release an agonizing scream.

Looking down, he saw two hands emerging from his shadow, and a pair of glowing red eyes looking up at him as fangs chomped down on his lower leg. Immediately he began to feel weaker as blood was drained from him. His vision began fading, he could see the other Vampire readying an attack.

Before he could even stumble in exhaustion, the shadow holding him in place was impaled by a glowing sword, at the same time as an unseen force knocked the first Vampire off his feet and slammed him into a tree.

The fatigue broke its hold on him. He whirled around, only to see the bleeding remains of a Vampire skewered by one of the swords that he had discarded on the ground. Karlamine was standing behind him cradling a steaming, blistered hand. "Thanks for the save." He looked at her injured hand and the sword at her feet.

He picked up the sword and focused on the hilt. Thankfully, the operations of **[Blade Blacksmith]** were very similar to **[Sword Birth]**. He may not be experienced in manipulating holy energy, but modifying his creations were second nature to him. Zeroing in on the hilt, he 'pushed' down the holy energy as far as he could. Whatever his Sacred Gear created was holy by definition, he couldn't just turn it off and make normal materials. But he could at least tone it down.

He offered the hilt to Karlamine. "Here, it shouldn't be so painful to use now."

Karlamine eyed the hilt warily like it was a wild animal, but eventually accepted it. Her eyes widened as she gave it a few practice swings. "Thank you, it is but a small tingle now. It should not be a problem during combat. This battle is certainly not over. Let us fall back for now, we have strayed too far from the main group. But why on earth are they so insistent on us? You would think they have other things to worry about right now?" she gestured to the dragons inadvertently laying waste to the castle.

"They must really want our Sacred Gears. They had already extracted Issei's gear and were about to extract mine before we escaped."

Koneko's attention snapped to him upon that statement. "Issei has a Gear?"

" _Had_ a Gear. I'm not sure how, but it seems that his magic helped him survive the process."

"They're after us."

All three of them turned to Gasper, who was standing guard over the girl he had identified as Valerie. "Both of us are only Dhampirs, second-class citizens at best, but if a Dhampir has a useful Gear, they're considered top-class weapons. Rumor has it that the Camilla Faction has their own Longinus wielder, so they wanted to use me. If Valerie has a powerful Gear, they won't stop until they recapture her as well." He explained somberly.

"What about that Marius guy?" asked Kiba. "Isn't he her brother?"

"He's always hated her." Gasper replied with more malice than he had ever heard from him. "He's as racist and bigoted as the rest of them. He used to beat her for the smallest reasons, so she always snuck into the Vladi castle to play with me."

"So that's where she always ran off to." A guttural voice brought their attention back to the forest. Marius was standing in the tree-line, and he didn't look good. His elegant, noble clothing was torn and burnt at the edges. His skin was blistered and cracked, patches of redness covering his neck, throat and half of his face. "And you're right, Mr. Vladi. You _will_ be our weapons against the Carmilla. You should be honored that filthy half-blood like yourselves can be of use to us. Besides, at this point, I believe we are owed compensation. Because of your friends, the Tepes castle will be a smoking ruin in minutes."

"You can hardly blame us for your mistakes." Karlamine shot back. "Was it not your incompetence that resulted in this mess? Or perhaps it was your blind trust in a deity that thrives in conflict?"

"Shut your mouth, half-breed!" he growled. "We considered being merciful with you and that animal, bending you into subservience until you do pleasing your masters' hunger. But now, we will kill you and dispose of you like the garbage you are. And as for the rest of you… Well, you lost us a castle. Consider it fair that you will be used to conquer more, yes?"

From all sides, a wave of shadows burst from the trees and began converging upon them. Gasper activated the **[Forbidden Balor View]** , freezing the world in a tinge of purple. Most of the vampires were frozen, but a handful, including Marius, were strong enough to resist the time freeze. They moved with a speed to match Kiba, fangs and claws extended to tear them apart.

In a reckless and desperate move, Kiba called upon the new **[Blade Blacksmith]** and summoned two sets of swords in concentric circular formation. He slammed his hand down, the swords mirroring his actions. The inner circle was composed of demonic swords, enveloping them all in a veil of energy, shielding them from the outer dome which was composed of pure holy swords. Immediately after, Kiba collapsed to his knees while gasping for breath, the strain being too much for him.

The incoming vampires recoiled from the scorching light but pressed on and summoned shadows over their bodies. Their bodies steamed and crackled upon contact with the swords. For a moment, Kiba thought they would hold, but they forced were forced open and they clawed their way through the light barrier. Koneko threw more punches infused with natural energy, but they were too fast, and she couldn't keep up. Before they could blink, they were on them.

One vampire leapt forwards with arms and claws outstretched, and Karlamine jumped over the demonic barrier and swung her appropriated holy sword to meet him, with Koneko right behind her. But before they met, the vampire burst into mist. Karlamine didn't lose her balance, but her swings were rendered completely ineffective. Before the mist could advance, Koneko covered her hands in a white aura and grasped at the amorphous mass in front of her. "Now!"

Karlamine didn't question it and unleashed an overhead strike. Impossibly, she felt the blade cleave through something solid. She withdrew her blade and saw the darkened blood of the vampires. The Nekoshou followed up by slamming her hands down. The mist reformed, revealing a vampire with a severed arm and a broken neck.

"Gaspie, man the fort!"

They had a game plan now. Despite assigning a defensive role to the Dhampir, Koneko was acting as the defender, sensing the vampires before they came too close and pushing, sometimes throwing them back. Karlamine would go in for the kill whenever she could. It was a close fight, but it was all they could do. Sooner or later, Karlamine would slip up, someone would get through.

Fortunately, reinforcements had arrived.

It started with small blue, wispy flames drifting unnoticed towards the vampires. They were only a few feet above their heads, but they generated no heat, possessed no presence, emitted no sounds, they were undetectable. Then the flames detonated.

That was the signal for even more chaos to continue. Fire and lightning danced across the battlefield. The vampires, already caught off guard, were easy pickings. While they were strong enough to stave off normal fire, against intensities of this magnitude they stood no chance.

Marius Tepes could only watch as his brethren were struck down one by one. How could so much destruction arise from a simple plan? This was supposed to end with him possessing yet another Sacred Gear on par with the Longinus. To destroy the Carmilla once and for all! But now… His pride could not accept it, but his mind could. He was outmatched in every way. Numbers, strength, will. He need only look to the raging skies to confirm that. The moment the God of War brought him into the fold, he became disposable. Because what could he offer that these titans couldn't simply take for themselves?

However, despite these lamentations, Marius did not succumb to despair as a weaker individual would. Rather, he let his rage fill his body. He let the shame take root in his memory, the humiliation seep into his soul. He would escape. He would run, despite the disgust that would bring. He would survive and rebuild. He was a vampire. He could only grow stronger with time. He-

A lance pierced his undead heart, stopping his thoughts immediately.

"A part of me wanted to prolong this, and make you feel what you put me through." Issei growled. "But honestly, every other part just wants to get rid of you as quickly as possible." He snapped his fingers, and the lance consumed Marius' entire body. Issei didn't bother looking at him again, knowing that he had already been reduced to ashes.

He brought his attention to his contractor, who was doubled over, sweating profusely. "Shirone," he whispered. "Are you alright?"

A nod. He didn't expect much else. He knew that she was feeling relief and happiness now, but she wasn't the type to show emotion with so many unfamiliar faces around.

"Alright." Rias couldn't help her smile. "Alright, we're all here. Now let's get the hell out of here."

"Wait, Valerie- "

"Don't worry, nya." Kuroka stepped up and hauled the girl over her shoulder. "My **Youjutsu** doesn't discriminate." As if to demonstrate, she waved her hand and opened a portal.

 **"GET BACK HERE!"**

A titanic beam of energy screamed towards them, seemingly bending space in front of it. But the spectral dragon that blocked it was barely fazed.

" **Do not turn away from your true enemy, Red Horseman!** "

Issei looked up at War, while his comrades filed through the portal. He was kilometers away struggling against two Heavenly Dragons. He wondered whether or not Ddraig or Albion could kill him, but he doubted it. Then he realized it didn't really matter so much. Truthfully, he was aiming to destroy the Gear, but this was a welcome alternative. It was fortunate that Ddraig was grateful for his much-missed freedom. In seconds, he was through the portal, smirking up at the chaos he had created.

 _You lose._

* * *

 **…I got nothing.**

 **By the way, do you know how much of a bitch it was to type in the roar text? In the end I had to copy paste it from another story. If anyone has a more direct way of doing it, it would be much appreciated.**

 **Next chapter will be the conclusion to this conflict. I'm looking forward to it, so you should be too!**


	27. Chapter 27: Auto-Da-Fé III

**Chapter 27:** **Auto-Da-Fé** **III**

Issei exited the room with a wry smile, following Grayfia whose stern face managed to convey anger and disapproval despite not moving a muscle. She started walking away, and Issei promptly began to follow her.

"So, how much trouble are they in?"

"I would think that you would be more concerned about your own circumstances."

"Sirzechs doesn't have the authority or a reason to punish me. I doubt he could even if he wanted to. And I know he doesn't want to." Presumptuous maybe, and more than a bit impudent to say to the Satan's right-hand woman, but Issei was sure it was true.

"You have become far more perceptive and bold than the last time we spoke."

"It's been a rough couple of weeks."

"Indeed." Grayfia nodded solemnly. "To answer your question, I doubt they will receive anything more than a stiff reprimand. It is not as if we have ay affiliations with the Tepes, and they were the aggressors in this case. Furthermore, objectively speaking, they didn't do much. The demolition of the Tepes Castle was your doing, along with Ares'."

"And Valerie? She's not a Devil, you have no claim over her."

"Technically we don't have claim over Gasper, either. That didn't stop Rias from making him her Bishop. Again, we are not friends with the Vampires, and they are far too preoccupied to make us into enemies."

"And since I just gave the Carmilla a huge advantage…"

"They will focus more on mitigating their losses rather than regaining advantages."

Issei couldn't help but smirk. "It's good when things work out."

"Yes." She returned the smile, albeit only faintly. "Yes, it is. Which brings me to something else that has progressed surprisingly well. Gasper's training."

It took a moment for Issei to realize what she meant. "Has it been a month already?"

"Five weeks, to be precise, but last week we were rather busy with other matters."

"Is this really something that we need to talk about?" Issei was genuinely curious. "Gasper's control of **[Forbidden Balor View]** is great, he can turn it on whenever he wants. And he can control who he wants frozen. I think he's proven himself."

"I don't disagree with those statements. In fact, I am confident that even without your help he will thrive in the future. I wish to thank you."

Grayfia has always been blunt. He appreciated that. If she didn't want to tell you something, she'd just keep her mouth shut. When she's displeased with something, if she doesn't make it clear through her words, her tone can become glacial in an instant. He knew that, but it was still a surprise to hear such a forthcoming statement. "Huh?"

"Gratitude. It is something that I do not express often, so please acknowledge its sincerity."

"I'm sure that it is sincere. I'm surprised that you felt the need t actually tell me, though."

Throughout this exchange, Grayfia didn't so much as break her stride her turn her head. "I expected you to be successful to some degree. Admittedly, I never would have guessed such a prodigious leap in such a short time. That is not all I am thanking you for, and it is not I, alone who owes you gratitude. The Gremory as a whole is thankful for your actions. We have severely underestimated you, but without your aid, our family might have been irreparably damaged."

 _Family_. That word was important to her. "Don't mention it. I was just helping my contractor. She was in danger and I wasn't exactly safe there either."

"Rationalize it whichever way you want."

"Why are you the one telling me this? I would think Sirzechs would rather tell me something like this to my face."

"He would, but due to his position as Lucifer, he cannot speak for the Gremory family. However, my position as his Queen, and his wife, gives me considerable sway in the family. Admittedly, Zeoticus, the family head would address you, but I wished to convey the family's wishes myself. For several reasons.

"You are human, yet something more. A mage, yet that word does not begin to describe you. Young, yet possessing an insight that spoke of decades, if not centuries of wisdom. You are an enigma, and I have made it a policy to unravel any enigmas surrounding my family."

"And you're not having much luck."

"No." There was no anger or frustration in her voice, merely acceptance and maybe a tiny hint of admiration. "That is why that I have decided to stop my attempts."

"Just like that?" Issei asked disbelievingly. Grayfia didn't seem to be the kind of woman that would give up that quickly.

"Yes. Just like that." She stopped walking and finally turned to address him face on. "For reasons that I cannot fully fathom myself, I have decided to place my trust in you."

Issei was speechless, for good reason. All this time, he was operating on the assumption that nobody could trust anybody on the other sides, and even then, there were obvious internal struggles. The number of people he could trust was nearly nonexistent and were just as much wildcards as he was. There was no need to build trust, no need to expect it, because why was trust necessary if a common goal was all that was needed for co-operation?

"You trust me?"

"Enough to trust you not to betray Rias and her Peerage." She clarified. "There's no inherent logic in this decision, no rational reason that I have to tell you this. After all, such a confession would place me in a disadvantage. But nevertheless, I will leave their protection to you." With that, she turned around, ending the conversation with no more room for further debate.

 _Ah, damn it. She got me._

* * *

"Ya know, I hated you before, but now?"

"Don't worry. After what you did to us, I've grown to hate you too."

Issei was on the balcony of the Gremory mansion, looking out of the vast greenery that made up the territory, admiring the artificial moon in the closed sky. "So, are you really here? Or is this just a projection or something?"

"Of course, I'm fuckin' here. I'm not limited to the physical like you are." War propped himself up on the railing. "Do you have any idea how much a bitch it was to deal with those dragons you dumped on me? My physical body was annihilated a dozen times before I managed to drive them away. Took me two days to remember who I was."

"Wow, little brother. Driving off the two Heavenly Dragons? Even in their weak states that's still pretty cool." Minnie materialized in the air in front of them. "Did you manage to kill the wielder of the **[Divine Dividing]**?"

He scoffed. "I wish. I misspoke. I didn't drive them off. After a while, they were far too absorbed at hitting each other. After ya portaled out, Ddraig stopped trying to fight me and started a grudge match with Albion's kid. At that point, I didn't really see a point in stickin' around. Last I saw, they were makin' craters and incineratin' forests. The Tepes are gonna have to abandon their territory. Thanks for that, jackass."

"Don't mention it. So, Minnie. What's the verdict? You were watching the entire thing, weren't you? Were you entertained?"

"Oh, yeah." Minnie giggled. "You were right, War. I was surprised by the twist with the Sacred Gear, but I was even more surprised when Onii-chan freed the Welsh Dragon! I didn't even know you could do something like that."

"Neither did I, to be honest. I was just aiming to straight up destroy it."

"What!" the blond demanded. "Are you telling me I lost because of a fuckin' fluke?! Gah, that's just damned embarrassing! If you just straight up destroyed the **[Boosted Gear]** and nothing else, I could have taken you down! Arrgh!"

"I have to ask. What was your end game? Were you trying to find a way to use the **[Boosted Gear]**?"

"…Eh, what the hell, the plan is shot, anyway. I was gonna use the Dhampir kid to design copies of the Gear to make Dragon super soldiers. Mini-Ddraig soldiers rampaging through every world. It sounded really fun. Another guy, this creep…Rizevim I think? He's trying to do something similar, but his one sounded boring and I didn't want to help him. Something about reviving someone. But I never look back. All about the _now,_ ya know?"

"Rizevim, huh?" He made a note to ask Vali about that later. He'd heard War mention that name to Sirzechs during their short battle. "I'm surprised you're just admitting your plan like this."

"Like I said, the plan is shot. It was fun while it lasted. Attacking Lilith was pretty awesome, and I've never fought a Super Devil before. And even though I bitched about it, slugging it out with dragons is always exciting. Can't remember the last time I did that." War almost looked childish at that moment, like another teenager reminiscing about earlier memories. "But there's no way in hell I can capture Ddraig or that kid alive. So, I'll have to change things up a bit."

"You're going to keep trying to start this war."

"Duh. What's my name, ya moron? This is my nature." He seemed to think about that for a few seconds before smiling. "Actually, that's not quite right. It's _everyone's_ nature! You can't stop me. If it's not these guys, it'll be someone else looking for a fight. Sooner or later, War always begins. Because War, _never_ , ends."

"Maybe you're right." Issei said somberly. "There's always someone who wants to fight for no reason at all, well, at least not a reason I can ever understand. No-one can stop them all. It's probably stupid to even try. I expected that." He turned to face the blond, who immediately noticed the change in demeanor. Eyes widening, Minnie silently hovered back a few feet in anticipation. "But that doesn't mean the world needs to have you helping it along."

"Whoa there." A pistol flashed into his hand, and the barrel was aimed right between Issei's eyes "Ya really wanna do this here? You saw what happened to the Tepes castle. We do this at ground level, your new friends won't be able to zap out of the blast zone fast enough."

"I'm not going to fight you. I don't have to."

Confusion passed across War's face. His eyes glanced over to his sister, but she only shrugged in return. "Alright, what are you tryin' to pull- "

And then nothing happened.

War grasped his chest, as his entire body flickered in and out of sight. He looked down and saw a hole. A hole in existence. He tried to fade away, escape into the conceptual plane and get away from this all-consuming hole. But his consciousness was anchored in this exact spot. "What… What are you doing to me?!" Even growling that question felt like hell.

"I'm not doing anything. And neither is your sister. All of this, it's because of her." He tipped his head to the side, where a beautiful young girl in a gothic Lolita dress, standing and staring down at War with absolutely zero expression. "If there's anything I've learned in the past couple of weeks is that the best way to deal with a problem is to have someone else do it. Meet Ophis, the concept of Nothingness. She owes me a favor.

"In a way, you can really only blame yourself for this. If you had attacked with literally _anyone_ other than the Old Satan Faction, then I wouldn't have been able to convince Ophis of this. But now that the generals of the Old Satan Faction are all dead, and most of their soldiers either captured or killed, technically I completed one of the tasks she asked of me. Even though it was Vali's crusade and she really couldn't care less."

Missiles, guns, swords, axes, bows, they appeared in his hand, only to crumble into nothingness a heartbeat later. Ophis couldn't kill him. Not truly. To destroy a concept meant utterly obliterating everything it stood for. And short of destroying every living thing in the universe, that just wasn't possible. Instead, Ophis was annihilating his identity, a prospect that terrified even him.

His consciousness was fading, the memories and experience accumulated over thousands of years, being rendered to oblivion. Intelligence born from countless battles and innumerable victories and defeats alike was being deleted moment by moment.

He felt a white-hot rage. He was War! He was a Horseman of the Apocalypse! If he should die, then it should be in a blaze of wondrous glory, taking his opponent to the grave along with him! He refused to be reduced to an unfeeling existence unable of thought or action. Even if he could stir up a consciousness again, it would be immeasurably different. This was death in every sense.

Wait… what was he trying to do, again? He was angry… That's right someone hurt him and… He wanted to do… something… What could he do? … Who was he? …It probably didn't matter that much, right?

Then all he felt was fear. An emotion so foreign to him, his addled mind could barely recognize it.

Soon, he stopped feeling that as well.

* * *

"Well, that was anticlimactic."

Issei couldn't tell if that was a complaint or not. Either way he felt the need to defend his actions. "Maybe, but I don't think I can take another fight with him. I couldn't care less for your entertainment. The only reason I managed to escape him the last time was because I had a dragon on my side. I couldn't be sure that I would have an advantage like that next time."

"Oh, I'm not knocking it."

"Really? Pretty sure I remember you being psyched for this. And he was still technically your brother."

"Meh. Judging by current events, he'll be back within a couple of hundred years. I know Connie and Big Brother wouldn't care either. Besides, who said the fun was over." Giggling with a giddy excitement, she dissolved into the air, leaving Issei with Ophis on the balcony.

"Thanks, Ophis."

"Unnecessary." She intoned. "However indirectly, you, caused the deaths of the Old Satan Faction leaders. If I, am to rely on your future assistance, I must uphold my end of bargains. Furthermore, you, have brought the Welsh Dragon into the fold."

"Hang on, Ddraig doesn't answer to either of- "

"Irrelevant. His power, is available. Power, attracts power. Dragons, attract dragons. Goodbye." Without a sideways glance, Ophis turned away and disappeared leaving only her ominous words behind.

 _Power attracts power. War is dormant now, but in exchange I woke up one of the most powerful dragons in the world. Is that what people mean by achieving a balance?_

 **I don't know about that. Ddraig isn't an ally, but he's not an enemy either. If anything, he might respect you now.** Seraphina mused. **I don't think you want to play on an even playing field. It's not about balance, Issei. It's about tipping the scales in your favor and keeping it from swinging back.**

 _Yeah, I suppose I've always known that. By the way… how is…?_

This time Avi's calm voice was the one who answered. **He is taking some time to think. He has been fairly… measured during this ordeal. I have attempted several times to coax him out of his shell and have only been partially successful. Expect him to request your presence sometime soon. Closure is a gift very few people receive. Especially after their death. In the meantime, I believe you have another matter to settle.**

He turned around and met ruby red eyes. "You look terrible."

She really did. Her Face and her body retained the gorgeousness that he saw in their first meeting, but there were various imperfections that altogether, told of something different. Her hair no longer had its glossy sheen, instead hanging imp and lifeless, with tangles and split ends at various places. Her eyes were bloodshot, as if she hadn't slept in days. Unlike last time, she was actually dressed, but even her chic dress was disheveled and wrinkled, her shoes scuffed, her jewelry chipped and lacking their luster.

"That's not something you should say to a lady. More to the point, what the hell have you done?"

"Umm… I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure cursing isn't something a lady should be doing."

Her only response was a glare. She walked, no, stumbled forwards, griping the balcony and nearly collapsing onto it. "What's wrong with you?"

"As if you do not already know." She growled. "This is your doing, I am sure of it."

That's when Issei felt it. Or rather, he noticed the lack of something that he should be feeling. When they first met in his dreams, Aphrodite's mere presence nearly had him drooling at her beauty. It was a terrifying experience, nearly having your freedom taken away like that, in a blink of an eye. _She's weak. A lot weaker than the last time we met. And she looks like she just got out of a fight. How is this my…_

"I get it. I guess that explains why a goddess of love clung to the concept of War so closely. He wasn't just your ally, or even your boss. He was your power source, wasn't he?"

Aphrodite's legs finally gave out. She slumped down onto the floor with a sigh, visibly relieved. "There are not many people who believe in a Greek goddess these days. Sure, there are statues and paintings, but those do not compare to true worship. It took nearly all I had to completely separate myself from Ares to avoid getting caught up in his death. A death, by the way, which I never thought to be possible."

So, this is the key difference between a concept and a god. Issei was sure that if he went looking for the embodiment of the concept of Love somewhere in the world, she wouldn't have even noticed War being erased.

"If you're wondering what happened to War, I honestly didn't do a thing to him. I got an ally of mine, who as much stronger than either of us, to do it. Put him to sleep for a good long while. We couldn't really kill each other, but that doesn't mean I couldn't get rid of an enemy."

She laughed. It was a dry, brittle thing. "Incredible. I misjudged you. I expected a grand battle between two age-old beings. A battle for ideals. Instead you simply… foisted it off to someone else. Hah! Come to think of it, that sounds like something I would do. Perhaps we have more in common than you care to admit."

Actually, Issei wouldn't mind admitting that. Not really. Having something in common with a love goddess isn't really an insulting prospect. "So, why risk showing up now? I imagine teleporting here from wherever you're hiding out is a tiresome effort."

"Risk? What risk? You're not the type to blast people who are no threat to you. And I sincerely doubt that I am a threat to anyone right now.

"As for why I am here, well… I want to know where things stand."

"Where things stand?" Issei echoed. "For who? The Biblical Factions are more united than ever. The Old Satan Faction has been torn to pieces. The Vampires are in chaos. War is in limbo. A Heavenly Dragon is free. And as for me?" Issei let out a breath. "I want to go home. That's where things stand right now."

"…You never mentioned me."

"What about you? You said so yourself. You're not a threat to anyone anymore. Keep your head down and no-one will even know you exist."

"I think that is the most insulting thing that anyone has ever said to me."

"If you ask me, I think you got the better end of the deal."

"The spotlight is not for everybody. You are doing well, though." She raised a hand towards him. When he didn't react, she pouted and glared. Sighing, Issei took her hand and hauled her to her feet. "Thank you. Very well, then. I can live in mediocrity for a few years. Who knows? Maybe I shall find myself a new benefactor."

"Wait." He turned to face her. "Diodora Astaroth."

"Yes, that was me. And before you ask, the girl is fine." She paused. "Perhaps 'fine' isn't the right word. But she is safe. And recuperating slowly but surely. The damage will never be undone. Not completely. But I can help her learn to live with it." A small smile flashed across her face. Almost too small for him to notice. "Is there anything else you wish to enquire about?"

There was a long silence. "08013563297."

Aphrodite blinked once. Twice. "What?"

"You can remember that, I know you can. It's my cell number. You've been living in the human world, so you must know how to use one."

"Why…?"

"It's not for you. It's for Asia. She's a Stray Devil with a very valuable Sacred Gear. The Devils are already looking for her. You should have faked her death or something, instead of just taking her."

Aphrodite said nothing for a short while. She tilted her head left and right, as if rolling the numbers around in her head. "It is an odd feeling, knowing that I am but an auxiliary concern for someone. But for now, … I shall graciously accept. And I will make sure to teach it to Asia."

She hesitated before speaking again. "As a thank you, I feel that I should tell you. There are still a few things I can do as the goddess of love. So, with that in mind… It is time. You cannot keep this up anymore. Not if you wish to continue on this road."

"…Wha- "

"You know what I am talking about. I know you do. This is not an attempt for manipulation, I am well past that. If you are willing to take one thing as truth from me, then let it be only this. The events that have now transpired will only serve to make your life more chaotic. You will need as much strength that you can muster. And you know as well as I do that there are different forms of strength. It is time.

"I have said all that there is to say. Once again, on the behalf of Asia, thank you." And then she was gone.

Issei wasn't sure how long he stood there. At some point he had moved towards the edge of the balcony, mulling over those words.

"How long have you been out here?"

Issei didn't answer. He wasn't surprised. She couldn't really sneak up on him anymore, and vice versa. He turned around meeting the hazel-gold eyes that he had grown so familiar with. _Trust and strength, huh?_

He took her hand, pulling her forwards to sit on the railing alongside him. "I need to tell you a story."

* * *

A red-headed teenager strode into the airport, her long, confident strides drawing eyes from everyone. She was beautiful, of course, the leather jacket hugging her lithe, athletic form which moved with the grace and elegance surpassing the greatest fashion models. It was akin to watching a leopard stalk its prey, observing those lean muscles that flexed underneath her jeans, ready to explode into action. Captivating, yet terrifying.

Her companion was not nearly as intimidating. As a matter of fact, her demeanor couldn't be more different. For one thing, the woman was in a wheelchair. She appeared to be in her mid-thirties, with the red hair of a darker shade than the young woman. Her expression was set into a serene smile. Where the young woman exuded a ferocious and deadly grace, the older woman was warm and inviting. Whenever the teen glared at someone in irritation, they turned their eyes to her, relaxing immediately and feeling a sense of comfort.

"I hate this place, Auntie." The teenager sniffed imperiously. "I still don't see why you insist on using these contraptions."

"I've told you, dear, you are more than welcome to fly on the outside. Or you can meet me there."

"The noise the thing makes is unbearable. And there is no way I am letting you on that tin can alone."

The woman only giggled. "Look at the bright side! Tripp got us first-class tickets!"

"You do realize that he probably stole it from a hapless pair of passengers, right?"

"I made sure that he gave them a bonus for their troubles."

The two of them breezed through security, the wheelchair letting them skip the lines from there all the way to the boarding gate. Priority boarding saw them to the first-class section of the airplane, with plush leather seats and a large electronic screen, so they settled onto the seats, one of them still complaining from the discomfort.

"How old is the boy now?"

"Tripp said he was seventeen. Still in high school, not even old enough to drink in that country. And from what Tripp told me about him, his character leaves a lot to be desired."

"You're still having doubts about his ability? War is dead, Aphrodite is crippled. Two Dragons are in his retinue. He is friendly with Devils, and seemingly allied with the other Biblical Factions. He is without a doubt the most powerful incarnation yet. This is the perfect opportunity to meet them. Besides, you know that Tripp will seek his help with or without us."

"And we should care what Tripp does, why?"

"Don't be like that. He may be rather impetuous, but he has been an invaluable help to us, especially in these recent years."

"Doesn't mean _we_ have to go along. He could be on the other side of the world and he could still help us while we're on a cruise in the Caribbean."

"Arianne, you hate the ocean."

"I was just making a point!" she growled. "Damn it, Auntie, he could be a serial killer for all we know."

"Your paranoia is getting the better of you. You should trust Tripp's information gathering skills. He knows who he is, his family, his friends, his academic performance, his favorite restaurant. I'm fairly sure he would have noticed if he was a murderer."

"Alright fine. No more complaining about him."

"You can't shoot him either."

"…I wasn't going to."

"Uh-huh. Of course, you weren't, dear. If it bothers you that much, just stay quiet and be civil. You don't have to talk to him or even acknowledge his existence."

"Deal. It's not as if a couple of bullets will kill him, anyway." She grumbled under her breath. Her aunt pretended not to hear her. "But we're not staying, got it?! We go there, we meet him, you and Tripp do whatever you need to do, and we leave."

"Aww… But I was hoping to meet those Devils! They seem to be an interesting bunch, and who knows, maybe we can take a tour to the Underworld, or Heaven! I've always wanted to see- "

"No, no, and absolutely freakin' not!" Arianne wailed. "Auntie, please! You're going to give me a heart attack, and I don't even know if I can get heart attacks!"

"Oh, come now, you used to be one of the most rebellious and willful children. Where is your sense of adventure?"

"Lost it somewhere between the past couple of _hundred_ attacks. And what's the point in adventuring, these days? Everywhere's already been discovered." The girl grumbled. "We can't go to the Underworld, Tripp is our early warning system and he's practically blind there! Same with Heaven!"

"Alright, fine." The woman huffed. "But, we _are_ going sightseeing in Japan at least." She drew out a brochure from her purse and opened it up, showing various landmarks that have been highlighted with bright orange marker. "So, I was thinking, while we wait for Tripp to set up the meeting, we can explore Tokyo for the first day…"

Arianne tuned out her aunt, impatiently waiting for the attendants to hand out the headphones and maybe get a chance for a nap. A buzzing in her pocket drew her attention. As her companion mindlessly chattered on about tourist spots around their destination, she took out her phone, a sleek, black contraption with no visible brand name. A notification on the screen made her face curl up in a grimace.

 _Heads up. Whatever u think ur gonna do, trust me, it ain't gonna work. Srsly. Plz do NOT do this. U have no idea what ur up against._

She dismissed the notification with a sniff and settled back into her seat. Tripp was still young, he didn't understand the significance of her plans. When she was a child, no-one would have batted an eye at what she was planning. Well, she may not be able to hide from Tripp's watchful eye, but her Aunt's attention was much easier to escape.

Besides, despite her complaints, she was quite eager to meet him.

* * *

In the other side of the world, a pure-white, 1959 Cadillac Coupe Deville pulled up in front of a palace of bright lights and golden gates. Despite the sleek, vintage car without a single speck of dust, barely anyone gave it a second look. Why would they, when such displays of wealth were commonplace here? Glistening fountains, massive and ornate chandeliers, an army of attendants ready to wait on the clients' every need.

The man that emerged was tall and pale with dark, slicked back hair. His face was aristocratic, etched with deep lines accrued through years of use. He wore a pitch-black overcoat over a crisp business suit. He held a simple cane in his left hand, but his strides were confident and regal. He didn't even look at the approaching valet before tossing a set of keys in his direction and plucking a ticket out of his hand.

Upon entering the air-conditioned establishment, the man was assaulted with a mixed scent of wines and perfumes. Unlike its lower-class counterparts, this place did not have the constant chime of slot machines or the screams of a hundred disgruntled gamblers nor the cheap stench of low-priced liquor. In a place like this, everyone had only one objective: victory.

Everyone but him.

He walked with purpose across the floor, ignoring the various tables with roulette wheels and dice games. He came to a set of double doors, just as lavishly decorated as the rest of the building, flanked by two burly men in suits wearing earwigs. If one looked closely, one would see the faint outline of firearm underneath their jackets. Without saying a word, the two men held open the doors, and the pale man was greeted by a singular elliptical table, where half a dozen people were in the middle of an intense battle. Eyes were constantly shifting within faces carved from stone.

One of them in particular, a handsome man with pale, almost white hair was unlike the others, in that where the others were hunched over the table, or sitting stoically upright, he was lounging in his chair, flipping his several chips in his hands with deft, masterful movements. A glass was swirling in his hand, the dark liquid sparkling through the crystal.

"Ladies and gentlemen, showdown if you please."

One by one, the players unveiled their hidden cards.

"Full house, Kings full of Jacks. The high hand. Mr. East is the winner."

The pale blond laughed heartily, taking a swig of his drink before gleefully scooping up his winnings. "Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. I'm afraid all of this business has left me famished. Deal me out of the next hand if you please."

Mr. East stood imperiously, straightening his thousand-dollar pin striped suit, and walking towards the older man. "My Mr. White, I didn't take you for the gambling kind."

"I am not. There are certain matters which we need discuss."

"Yes, there are. Well, come. The restaurant here is divine."

The two walked into the restaurant, barely looking at the host who led them to their table, even without a reservation. "Brother aren't you going to order something?"

"I'd prefer not. This establishment doesn't serve my usual fare."

East sighed in resignation. "Always eating that swill, aren't you? It seems all these years have done nothing to curb your tastes." He gestured to the waiter patiently waiting for their orders. East ordered a bottle of wine for the table, along with a well-done steak and several side dishes. "That will be all." With that dismissal, the two were finally left alone.

"I assume you know what has happened to your older brother."

"It was kind of hard to miss." East chuckled. "I thought you were the only one who could do feats like that."

"There are a few others." White paused. " _Very_ few others. In this case, I do not know who was responsible. There was nothing left behind when I attempted to contact him, not a trace of his assailant. But I don't think it is a coincidence that Ddraig was released but a day earlier."

"Well, we all knew it was bound to happen. Sooner or later, he was going to pick a fight with someone he couldn't handle. Saying that, I can't help but feel surprised that Ddraig actually managed to put him to sleep. Are you trying to revive him?"

A snort. "Goodness no. Perhaps without him, things will quieten down, even by a fraction. Besides, even if I wanted to, we would need our sister to do that, and I am not willing to expend the effort necessary to find her."

"How cruel. Then why the visit? Could it be sentimentality?" he said teasingly.

"This is about the Dimensional Gap."

That got his attention. Enough for him to put down his glass. "The Gap? That's Ophis' domain. I'm not going anywhere near that thing."

"No, it is not."

"What?"

"It is no longer Ophis' domain. Something has driven out the Infinite Dragon God and taken over the Gap."

"… How are you certain of this?"

"A few months ago, I sensed several disturbances in our reality. Normally, these would be due of the actions of the other worlds affecting this one. But these disturbances were different. They had no source. They had no perpetrator. It was as if space-time was being disturbed from the inside out."

"You're right. Ophis would never do anything like that. It would rather pretend the rest of reality doesn't exist. So, what's your hypothesis?"

"There are only a few beings with the power to force Ophis out of the Gap. I am one of them. God is dead. That only leaves- "

"Ah, hell." East grunted, taking a larger gulp his wine. "What's the timeline here? That thing isn't exactly known for his patience and restraint."

"It's hard to tell. Ophis is undoubtedly doing everything it can to regain its beloved silence, and Great Red will just as likely be bored to tears in the Gap. Now that Ddraig has been freed, his interest will be greatly piqued."

"That can't be it. You wouldn't go through the trouble of finding me if you didn't have some sort of plan."

"Not a plan, per se. A precaution would be more fitting. The Dimensional Gap is one of the few things over which I have little to no control, and if the Dragon of Dreams begins to use it to wreak havoc in the fabric of reality, I will have no method of counter attack. No-one will, and the universe will be left unrecognizable. Except…"

"Except for the original denizen of the Gap. Are you setting up the grudge match of the eon?"

"That would be a band-aid solution at the very best. Ophis and Great Red are about equal in strength, and it would be far too difficult for either of them to truly 'kill' the other. Imagine the first scenario, in which Great Red repels Ophis, well, then, nothing much changes. Ophis will try again. So, let us assume that Ophis drives out Great Red. What then? A dragon will never be satisfied with peace. Maybe it could take a hundred years, maybe even a thousand, but he will go looking for a battle once more, and he will naturally search for his equal."

"And the cycle begins again. Well, what do you want me to do about this? Out of the three of us left, I'm the weakest one, and against beings like that, you're the only one who can do anything worth a damn."

"I wouldn't say that. There are a few things that you can do far better than I can."

"Okay, this I have to hear."

"It's all about… supply and demand."

* * *

 **Yeah, I know people are gonna be unhappy with this one.**

 **Look, I know wanted an epic conclusion, but I hate it when characters fight for no good reason. And there was no reason for Issei to fight. There was an easy way out, and he took it. Maybe you guys could have seen another way, but I couldn't, and I'll defend it. This chapter was just clean-up anyway.**


End file.
